Ex West Ham and Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui linked with sensational Premier League return

Former West Ham and Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui has been linked with a sensational return to Premier League management as a potential successor for Ruben Amorim at Manchester United.

The Hammers parted ways with the Spaniard in January after a turbulent first half of the season at the London Stadium, with Graham Potter coming in to fill the role. Lopetegui had previously spent a large part of the 2022/23 campaign in charge of Wolves, helping them to a 13th place finish.

Despite his underwhelming time at West Ham, Lopetegui is a head coach who comes with pedigree thanks to his success with Sevilla, Real Madrid and the Spanish national set-up. That is believed to have caught the eye of Manchester United as Amorim struggles to win over supporters.

Julen Lopetegui linked with Man Utd job

The Red Devils were defeated by Fulham at Old Trafford in FA Cup action last weekend and have also been beaten by Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur since the start of February. Amorim’s side have beaten Ipswich Town and Leicester City since then, but only managed one goal margins against those sides, conceding in both matches.

Fichajes claims that the defeat to Fulham has caused Manchester United to consider a possible change in management. Directors are said to be looking into potential options already, but Amorim will be given ‘the next few months’ to improve results.

The outlet has named three candidates at this early stage, and Lopetegui is one of them. Former Germany manager Joachim Low is one of the other names, alongside Massimiliano Allegri, who is currently with Juventus.

Man Utd ‘like’ Lopetegui profile despite West Ham struggles

Writing about Lopetegui, Fichajes claims: “With his experience at clubs such as Sevilla and Real Madrid, Julen Lopetegui is a profile that Manchester United like. He has already shown his ability to rebuild projects and make teams competitive, and is also available having been fired by West Ham.”

That would be quite the return for Lopetegui, who managed just seven wins in 22 West Ham matches and saw a flurry of summer signings last year disappoint. After his dismissal, Lopetegui did seem upbeat and determined to bounce back.

In a message shared on social media, he said: “Thank you to West Ham for the opportunity to manage this great club over the past six months.

“We are leaving with a sense of sadness, feeling it was too soon and that we were in position to still achieve our goals, especially after overcoming challenging situations and with a promising entire second half of the Premier League ahead. Thank you to the players for their commitment and hard work, and to all the staff at the training ground, who are truly high class.

“You made us feel at home, operating at an extraordinary level, and you will always hold a special place in our hearts. Thank you also to the fans, who have shown unwavering support through every high and low. I wish West Ham nothing but success in the future—once a Hammer, always a Hammer.”

In other news, West Ham have had a £55 million injury boost teased ahead of Newcastle United and Everton.