‘Incredible’ Manager Tipped to Replace Julen Lopetegui at West Ham

TalkSPORT pundit and former Premier League striker Darren Bent has tipped Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers to be “the one” to replace Julen Lopetegui at West Ham as the Spaniard faces mounting pressure surrounding his job.

The Spaniard replaced David Moyes as manager at the London Stadium this summer as the Irons looked to move in a different direction with a new style of football, but the Hammers have had a horrific start to the season so far with some heavy defeats and just three victories from their opening ten league games.

That has seen Lopetegui come under mounting pressure for his job according to GIVEMESPORT, although owner David Sullivan is reluctant to cut ties on a manager he selected just a few short months ago.

Bent Tips Rodgers for West Ham Job
‘He could be the one’

But while discussing the potential of who could replace Lopetegui is he were to move on, Bent suggested the current Celtic boss because of his time in the Premier League in the past with Liverpool and Leicester City and claimed he could be open to a mid-season switch because he’s already won the Scottish League title in the past.

“Brendan Rodgers, I’m telling you now, I think he could be the one. He played some nice football. I know towards the end it goes a bit sour. But Brendan Rodgers. If he’s going to win the league again up in Scotland, doesn’t mean he needs it.

“I think Brendan could, though, when I say next level, remember he won the FA Cup with Leicester. No one gave him a prayer on that.”

Rodgers, who has been described as an “incredible tactician”, previously left Celtic in the middle of the season back in February 2019 to take over at Leicester. There he helped them push for Champions League football and won the FA Cup in 2021, before leaving in April 2023 as the team were relegated to the Championship.

He returned to Celtic to some anger from fans, replacing Ange Postecoglou, and won the league title ahead of fierce rivals Rangers in his first season back, and currently leads the league table again this season while the team are also having a good campaign in the Champions League following a 3-1 win over RB Leipzig on Tuesday.

West Ham will take on Everton in the Premier League this weekend before the international break, and a defeat could leave Lopetegui in a very tricky position. It could also be the perfect time for a managerial change, with no other break in the season until March, so all eyes will certainly be on that fixture.