Rafael Benitez is reported to be ‘on standby’ to take the West Ham job, with David Moyes said to be facing the sack.
Moyes’ position as West Ham manager is now reported to be on very fragile ground, with their away form having been particularly alarming, picking up just six points on the road this season.
The Hammers’ loss to Spurs at the weekend, combined with Everton and Bournemouth’s victories, saw them drop into the bottom three, and according to the Times, defeat to Nottingham Forest next weekend will see David Moyes relieved of his duties at the London Stadium.
The former Manchester United boss has already fended off such headlines a month ago, when it was reported he would be sacked if West Ham failed to beat Everton, only for his side to run out 2-0 winners to earn him a stay of execution.
Since then, Everton have sacked Frank Lampard, while relegation rivals Leeds and Southampton have also dispensed with their managers, and according to the Mail, West Ham have Rafa Benitez ‘on standby’ if they opt for a change, with the former Liverpool boss keen on the job.
Benitez has been out of work since his ill-fated role at Everton, though has credit in the bank following the work he did at Newcastle.
According to the report, one of West Ham’s biggest issues has been a lack of credible alternatives, with their ‘ambitious’ plans to lure either Thomas Tuchel or Mauricio Pochettino having already been rejected.
Tuchel has been out of work since being sacked by Chelsea last year, while former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino is also on the lookout for a job following his role at PSG.
Nuno Espirito Santo has also been considered, though the £6 million it would take to get him out of his contract at Saudi side, Al-Ittihad is said to be ‘prohibitive’.
As for Benitez, the report in the Mail says that the 62-year-old would likely want a ‘long-term’ deal, while the Hammers would only want to offer an initial 18-month contract, similar to the one signed by Moyes back in December 2019
