Sources: West Ham open director of football talks
West Ham are in talks to recruit a director of football as they look to build on a memorable season, Football Insider understands.
Manager David Moyes is close to agreeing a new contract and one of his key demands is for a major overhaul of the club's recruitment set-up.
A West Ham source has told Football Insider that discussions are taking place with a number of candidates about becoming the director of football.
Among those targeted by the Hammers include Robbie Cooke, who worked with Moyes at his former clubs Everton, Man United and Preston North End.
Cooke served as chief scout at both clubs and has also held a senior recruitment role at Burnley.
West Ham could also appoint a new chief scout as well as a director of football, or could opt to fill just one of those positions.
Most top clubs have a director of football or technical director overseeing a recruitment department headed by a traditional chief scout or, in the modern parlance, a head of recruitment.
A major criticism of West Ham in recent years is co-owner David Sullivan's over-reliance on agents for the club's transfer business ahead of proven talent spotters.
The Hammers did appoint Mario Husillos as director of football when Manuel Pellegrini was manager but they were both dismissed in December 2019.
Recruitment was mixed during that period, with some poor signings such as Sebastien Haller, Jack Wilshere, Carlos Sanchez, Roberto and Felipe Anderson interspersed with more successful ones like Lukasz Fabianski, Issa Diop and Fabian Balbuena.
Moyes has growing authority at West Ham at a time when he is in advanced negotiations over a new contract.
He wants the club to install a more streamlined and professional recruitment set-up that is more reliant on expert and well connected talent-spotters.