Julen Lopetegui finds himself in an increasingly precarious position at West Ham, with growing tensions behind the scenes suggesting his time at the London Stadium could be nearing its end.
According to former club scout Mick Brown, who remains well-connected despite leaving alongside David Moyes in June, the board’s confidence in Lopetegui is rapidly diminishing.
Initially, the hierarchy opted to stand by Lopetegui, but a disappointing run of form has forced a rethink.
Speaking to Football Insider, Brown revealed that patience within the club’s upper echelons is wearing thin after just three wins from their opening 11 Premier League fixtures, leaving the Hammers languishing in 14th place.
Brown, who previously served as Sir Alex Ferguson’s assistant at Manchester United, highlighted the pressure stemming from the club’s significant summer spending.
The board’s backing of Lopetegui in the transfer market was meant to ensure a seamless transition following Moyes’ departure, but results have fallen short of expectations.
“The situation at West Ham is very volatile,” Brown told Football Insider.
“He could lose his job and be sacked immediately, at any time, things can change with the click of a finger.
“I’m not sure how good the relationship between the manager, the sporting director, and the owner is, but at the start of the season, I know it wasn’t good.
“They bought a lot of players for him and not many of them have turned up yet.
“That’s only put more pressure on him because if they spend big money, they want to see returns.”
Lopetegui’s mandate was to build on Moyes’ progress, but his inability to maintain momentum has led to mounting scrutiny.
“When he was appointed to take over from Moysey, they expected him to pick up where he left off and keep them moving up the table,” Brown continued.
“Ultimately, though, the results haven’t been good enough. They were lucky in the win against Man United and you could argue against Palace too.
“From what I’ve heard, they were keen to give him time at first, but that faith is fading quickly.”
Following a lacklustre 0-0 draw against Everton, the pressure is intensifying, and Lopetegui’s future looks increasingly uncertain. The board’s patience, once cautious, now appears to be hanging by a thread.