West Ham United manager Julen Lopetegui is under a lot of pressure after a disappointing start to the season.
He has been backed significantly in the transfer market with new signings, but the manager has failed to get the best out of his players. West Ham were expected to push for European qualification this season, but they are currently languishing in 16th place with just two wins from eight league matches.
The current start to the season is simply unacceptable, and it is no surprise that they are looking at potential alternatives to the manager. They have been linked with a host of names in recent weeks and journalist Graeme Bailey has now suggested that they are looking at the Porto manager, Sergio Conceicao.
“Sergio Conceicao is one name on West Ham’s radar,” Bailey told Hammers News.
“He is being looked at by a lot of clubs.
“Sullivan is not ready to accept yet that bringing Lopetegui in was a mistake.
“But, still, work is being done within the club to assess potential alternatives should Lopetegui fail to steer West Ham back on course.
“And one of the names that has come up in discussions is that of Conceicao.”
Conceicao has done quite well at the Portuguese club and he has helped them win three league titles. He could prove to be an exciting appointment. The 49-year-old is highly rated across Europe, and there is no doubt that he would be excited to manage in the Premier League.
It will be interesting to see if West Ham follow up on their interest with an official proposal for the Portuguese manager.
They will need to turn things around quickly if they want to have a successful season. If they want to get rid of the Lopetegui and bring in a replacement, they should look to do it before January so that the new manager can bring in the necessary additions during the winter transfer window.