Sources: West Ham now have two ex-players on Graham Potter replacement shortlist
Slaven Bilic and Gary O’Neil are both on the shortlist to become the new West Ham United manager if Graham Potter is sacked, sources have told Football Insider.
Potter is on the brink of losing his job after West Ham were beaten 2-1 by Crystal Palace on Saturday (20 September).
O’Neil and Bilic both played for the Hammers during their careers, while the latter had a spell as manager between 2015 and 2017.
Sources say that the West Ham board are seriously considering the pair, along with former Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo.
Slaven Bilic and Gary O’Neil are cheap options for West Ham
Both O’Neil and Bilic are currently out of work, which means that West Ham would not have to pay a compensation fee to appoint them.
Kieran McKenna has been linked with a move to the London Stadium, but the East London side would be forced to buy him out of his Ipswich Town contract to seal the deal.
O’Neil has Premier League experience from his time managing Bournemouth, as well as his most recent club Wolves, who sacked him in December last season.
As for Bilic, after departing West Ham in 2017 he has had spells in Saudi Arabia and China, as well as with West Brom and Watford.
West Ham make manager decision on Frank Lampard
Meanwhile, West Ham are unlikely to accelerate their pursuit of Coventry City manager Frank Lampard if Potter is sacked, sources have told Football Insider.
Football Insider exclusively revealed on 5 September that West Ham have sounded out Lampard as an option to replace their current boss.
However, the Hammers are unlikely to step up their interest in their former midfielder, given the fans’ likely reaction.
Instead, they are planning to assess other options, with the likes of O’Neil, Bilic, and Espirito Santo on their list of potential targets.
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