Julen Lopetegui is set to become West Ham’s new manager this summer and an important update has emerged regarding his summer transfer kitty.
It’s going to be all change at the London Stadium at the end of the season, with David Moyes making the decision to stand down as Hammers boss.
There have been some great memories that the Scot has provided during his second stint in charge, with last season’s UEFA Europa Conference League success one of the greatest achievements in West Ham’s history.
Now, Lopetegui is expected to come in and hope to bring even more success to the club in the coming years, and the Spaniard has so much pedigree as a manager.
He has won the Europa League with Sevilla, sealing glory in the competition back in 2020, and he has also managed Spain and Real Madrid in the past.
According to Football Insider, Lopetegui is going to be backed by West Ham’s owners when it comes to transfers, with a “huge” budget planned for him:
“West Ham will make transfer funds available to Julen Lopetegui if his appointment is confirmed, sources have told Football Insider.
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“It is believed the Spaniard has been given assurances about transfer funds after he left Wolves last summer (2023) following a big-money fire sale. A well-placed source has told Football Insider that Lopetegui and technical director Tim Steidten will be working with a ‘huge’ summer budget in a bid to kick-start the post-Moyes era.
“Transfer chiefs are set to prioritise bringing a new centre-back, left-back and striker to the London Stadium in the summer window.”
This update will be music to West Ham supporters’ ears, ahead of a summer that needs to be a pivotal one, in terms of kicking on under Lopetegui after a slightly disappointing campaign, particularly in comparison to last time around.
There is the threat that the Hammers could lose Lucas Paqueta, with the Brazilian continuing to be a target for reigning Premier League champions Manchester City, and if he leaves, those funds need to be used wisely.
Adding to the defence and bringing in a striker rightly looks as though it is taking precedence, especially with the likes of Vladimir Coufal, Angelo Ogbonna and Michail Antonio all out of contract in the summer, and it will be exciting to see who comes in.
