Rumours continue to swirl around the Hammers' managerial position, as West Ham next manager betting markets shift in light of a potential new appointment.
West Ham next manager – latest news:
UECL trophy under Moyes has bought him time
David Moyes has occupied the dugout since 2019 and still boasts a comfortable number of admirers at the Queen Elizabeth II Stadium. Whatever his perceived faults, the Scotsman has overseen some great times after a tumultuous start, guiding the club to 6th and 7th place finishes in 2020/21 and 2021/22 respectively. But his crowning achievement is, of course, the Europa Conference League trophy he won in 2022/23 – also West Ham’s first ever European trophy altogether.
On the domestic front, however, cracks began to appear in the Moyes edifice last season. The Hammers slumped to 14th in the Premier League, as more progressive signings such as Gianluca Scamacca struggled to fit in. And while this Premier League season has brought better fortunes so far, some still believe that the resources from Declan Rice's £105m transfer to Arsenal haven't been well spent.
Fresh approach needed?
Set piece expert James Ward-Prowse was hired to fill the Rice-shaped void, but he is a divisive figure, as for all his self-evident skill from free kicks, many believe he lacks the physicality Rice offered. Moyes oversaw a similar scenario at Everton in the 2005 winter transfer window, with the slender but skilful dead ball wizard Mikel Arteta replacing midfield rock Thomas Gravesen.
Initial results were poor, but they ultimately paid dividends, as Moyes' Everton became more creative, especially during a late 2000s period that delivered three successive top-six finishes and two European knockout stage appearances. That said, Moyes' traditional style of play will always test the patience of fans who are all too aware of how the top teams attack at will, and in the end, that may well prove to be a push factor if the board decides to act.
With ongoing reports that Moyes' deal will not be extended beyond this season, here are the bookies’ favourites to replace Moyes at the helm.
Current outrights for West Ham next manager betting:
Graham Potter – 11/4
The former Brighton and Chelsea manager is the current favourite in this market – and it is not hard to see why. Potter did a superb job on the south coast, transforming the Seagulls from the traditional, defensive side it had been under previous boss Chris Houghton into a free-flowing modern side, which picked up some extremely impressive results over the past two years.
Potter had a disastrous time at Chelsea, but the circumstances into which he was thrust were hardly tolerable for any manager. In short, it was too much of a step up too quickly. West Ham thus represent something of a happy medium between Potter’s two previous clubs. The Hammers boast more history, prestige and (likely) long-term financial backing than Brighton, but without the suffocating pressure to immediately succeed that is found at Stamford Bridge.
The Irons will face competition for Potter. He is widely admired, and Leicester
City made an attempt to coax him out of his current sabbatical to rescue them from relegation late last season. But Potter is reportedly being careful when picking his next destination, having been burned by Chelsea.
West Ham and Moyes would not part ways until the summer in any case, giving the Hammers plenty of time to court the Englishman.
Xabi Alonso – 5/1
Bayer Leverkusen have set the Bundesliga alight under Xabi Alonso this season. They began the past weekend sitting top after ten games, above even Bayern Munich.
The Spaniard, in his first job as a senior-level manager, has Leverkusen playing beautiful and effective football, while blending seasoned pros like Granit Xhaka and Alex Grimaldo with developing young players such as Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Victor Boniface.
Like Boniface, Alonso is admired across the continent and West Ham will face a serious race for him if they want to bring Alonso back to English football.
William Still – 13/2
Still has experienced a dizzying rise to professional management, after learning the basics from the iconic Football Manager video game. At Reims, he stepped up from assistant to head coach last season without a full professional management licence – infamously earning Reims a £20,000 fine for every game he oversaw.
After a recent slash in his odds, Will Still of Reims is now third favourite for the Hammers’ hotseat. He's also a boyhood Hammer, and with Reims sitting fourth before their 3-0 loss to PSG on Saturday evening, he'll be getting courted by more than one Premier League side in the coming months.
At just 30, Still is also the youngest manager in Europe's top five domestic leagues. He is exactly half Moyes' age, which would certainly – for better or worse – placate any desire for a comparatively modern and dynamic approach. He may be third favourite for now, but do not be surprised to see Still’s odds cut further in the coming months.
