West Ham have appointed Graham Potter as their new head coach after sacking Julen Lopetegui.
Former Brighton and Chelsea boss Potter has agreed a two-and-a-half-year contract to return to management 20 months after he was dismissed by the Blues.
"I am delighted to be here. It was important to me that I waited until a job came along that I felt was right for me – and equally that I was the right fit for the club I am joining. That is the feeling I have with West Ham United," Potter said.
"My conversations with the chairman and the board have been very positive and constructive, we share the same values of hard work and high energy to create the solid foundations that can produce success, and we are on the same wavelength in terms of what is needed in the short-term and then how we want to move the club forward in the medium to long term."
Ready to get started 👊 pic.twitter.com/AL21dQwFOL
— West Ham United (@WestHam) January 9, 2025
Potter, 49, began his managerial career at Swedish club Ostersund and successful spells with Swansea and Brighton prompted Chelsea to appoint him to replace Thomas Tuchel in September 2022.
But he lasted just seven months into a five-year contract before being axed the following April, having lost 11 of his 31 matches in charge.
“West Ham United is a huge club, at the heart of London, with a tremendous fanbase and great support all around the world. I saw the scenes that followed their Europa Conference League victory in 2023 and it was clear that this is a club with everything in place to become consistently successful, both on and off the pitch,” he added.
“The club have made a lot of good progress in recent years and ensured there are some very strong foundations in place to build on. You don’t win a European trophy by fluke – there has to be a good bedrock at a football club for that to happen, and the challenge now is to take that on and build the next steps, to develop a team and a club that the supporters can be proud of.”
Spaniard Lopetegui paid the price for back-to-back heavy defeats by Liverpool and Manchester City over the Christmas period, with the Hammers a lowly 14th in the Premier League.
The 58-year-old was appointed in May to replace David Moyes, who left the club at the end of last season after his contract expired.
But West Ham said: “The first half of the 2024/25 season has not aligned with the club’s ambitions and the club has therefore taken action in line with its objectives.”
The club has been criticised for its handling of the situation, with Lopetegui dutifully taking training on Tuesday and Wednesday despite knowing West Ham owner David Sullivan and his board were in talks with his successor.
Former boss Harry Redknapp told BBC Radio London: “It’s disrespectful, no doubt about that.
“If you want to get rid of him, you call him and say ‘I’m sorry it’s not worked out’. Obviously talks have been going on with Graham Potter.”
Potter will take charge of his first match when West Ham travel to Aston Villa in the FA Cup on Friday.
More from Sporting Life
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.
