Former Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini is confident of being named the next West Ham manager within days, according to The Times.
The newspaper report that the 64-year-old Chilean is set for talks with chairman David Sullivan on Sunday, with the two parties close to agreeing a three-year deal.
The Times claim that Pellegrini earns £10million a year at current club Hebei China Fortune, with his contract containing a £5.1million release clause.
It is said that it is unknown whether the Hammers will pay compensation for Pellegrini’s services, but his current wage packet will most likely make him the highest-paid manager of the club in history.
Pellegrini previously won the double with Manchester City, winning the League Cup and the Premier League in 2014.
OPINION
This marks a big turnaround from a report in The Sun which suggested that the Irons had binned Pellegrini from their shortlist. His massive wages in China were seen as a stumbling block, with the club also said to be looking for a “young and dynamic” boss, but the two parties look close to a deal now. In truth, there are not many better managers around than Pellegrini, and this would be a fantastic appointment for the Hammers. The Chilean is vastly experienced in European football, having managed Real Madrid and Malaga before his double-winning stint at Manchester City. That experience is exactly what is needed at the London Stadium right now, with the club needing a steady hand to guide them up the table next season. Pellegrini’s connections within the game could also see the club make some interesting signings this summer, and Hammers fans are in for massive treat.
