‘West Ham wave white flag on Julen Lopetegui project after major update’
West Ham are willing to lose one of the key building blocks for the new era at the London Stadium already in what appears a damning abandonment of ambitious recent plans.
Julen Lopetegui was seemingly on his way out after weeks of speculation, but form has somewhat had an upturn recently and he continues to cling on.
The Hammers still sit in 14th after their draw with Bournemouth on Monday 16 December, and there are still reports suggesting that he could be on the verge of a sacking.
The hierarchy spent heavily in the summer, so to retreat from the project five months later will come with hesitancy.
Yet, they are reportedly considering selling a major star. This will raise questions in the fanbase if those above have made a mistake in their new era.
Are West Ham already considering the end of Lopetegui?
According to talkSPORT, the East London club are “willing to cash in on Mohamed Kudus if they get a big-money offer in January”.
Arsenal and Liverpool have both been linked to the versatile forward, and the reports suggest if a bid comes to “around £85million” it’ll be enough for them to consider.
Instead of waiting for clubs to activate his release clause next summer, it seems like the club will be happy to see him go before then. The Ghanaian has shone since his arrival, but allowing him to leave will undoubtedly leave the team weaker as they fight in mid-table.
Selling a key player suggests the club may already be raising funds for their next coach.
Fans will be frustrated by the prospect of yet another star leaving, like Declan Rice did in 2023, especially during what was supposed to be a fresh start under Lopetegui.
Same issues persist that David Moyes suffered
Mick Brown revealed to Football Insider that the new coach is now dealing with the same challenges that plagued David Moyes.
Despite receiving significant backing—around £120 million in signings—the former Real Madrid coach pushed for more reinforcements.
He reportedly wanted players from Spain, but only Guido Rodriguez arrived, and he has had limited minutes.
This mirrors the issues Moyes faced, where his shortlist of preferred targets was often overruled by technical director Tim Steidten.
With Lopetegui’s pragmatic approach, many have questioned whether sacking the Scotsman was worthwhile. Some suggest board members already regret the decision.
The club aimed for a fresh start but now faces the reality that the grass isn’t always greener when collective mistakes are made at the start. As a result, they may be forced to sell one of their best players to recover ground.
Hammers fans were justifiably hopeful for the future during the summer, but most of that has now ebbed away and losing a key star in Kudus just 18 months after he arrived will only cement the disappointment.
In other news, the Hammers are offering a gesture to an injured player as they have historically done before.
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