West Ham United are looking for a new head coach after announcing the departure of Graham Potter, with media reports suggesting Nuno Espirito Santo could be appointed in his place soon.
Potter, the former Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea head coach, had been hired by West Ham in January, replacing Julen Lopetegui.
Why has Potter been dismissed?
Potter took over at West Ham in January 2025 while the Hammers were in 14th place. They finished in the same position, with only five league wins from the remaining 18 matches.
Things did not improve this season, the 2-1 home defeat by Crystal Palace a week ago leaving the club in 19th, with three points from five fixtures. Also they exited the EFL Cup in their first match, losing 3-2 to Wolverhampton Wanderers in August.
Potter's average of one point per match is the second-lowest in the club's Premier League history.
West Ham managers ranked by points per match (PPM)
| Manager | Hired | PPM | Games | W | D | L | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Moyes | 29/12/19 | 1.4 | 171 | 65 | 38 | 68 | 38.0 |
| Slaven Bilic | 09/06/15 | 1.3 | 87 | 30 | 26 | 31 | 34.5 |
| Alan Curbishley | 13/12/06 | 1.3 | 62 | 23 | 13 | 26 | 37.1 |
| Harry Redknapp | 10/08/94 | 1.3 | 269 | 94 | 71 | 104 | 34.9 |
| Manuel Pellegrini | 22/05/18 | 1.3 | 57 | 20 | 11 | 26 | 35.1 |
| Alan Pardew | 20/10/03 | 1.3 | 55 | 20 | 9 | 26 | 36.4 |
| Billy Bonds | 23/02/90 | 1.2 | 42 | 13 | 13 | 16 | 31.0 |
| David Moyes | 07/11/17 | 1.2 | 27 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 29.6 |
| Glenn Roeder | 09/05/01 | 1.2 | 74 | 23 | 19 | 32 | 31.1 |
| Sam Allardyce | 01/06/11 | 1.2 | 114 | 35 | 28 | 51 | 30.7 |
| Julen Lopetegui | 01/07/24 | 1.2 | 20 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 30.0 |
| Gianfranco Zola | 15/09/08 | 1.1 | 72 | 20 | 20 | 32 | 27.8 |
| Graham Potter | 09/01/25 | 1.0 | 23 | 6 | 5 | 12 | 26.1 |
| Avram Grant | 03/06/10 | 0.9 | 37 | 7 | 12 | 18 | 18.9 |
Scroll across to see full table
What have the club said?
"Results and performances over the course of the second half of last season and the start of the 2025/26 season have not matched expectations, and the Board of Directors believe that a change is necessary in order to help improve the team’s position in the Premier League as soon as possible," a club statement said.
"The Club can confirm that Assistant Coach Bruno Saltor, First Team Coaches Billy Reid and Narcis Pelach, Lead Goalkeeper Coach Casper Ankergren, and Goalkeeper Coach Linus Kandolin have also left with immediate effect."
Who do West Ham next face?
West Ham are next in Premier League action on Monday night, at Everton, coincidentally facing former manager David Moyes, who steered the club to UEFA Conference League success in May 2023 before his departure a year later with their best points average in the Premier League.
Why Nuno?
Widespread media reports suggest Nuno is set to step in to take charge of his fourth Premier League club, following spells at Wolverhampton Wanderers, Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest.
The 51-year-old Portuguese took over at Forest in similar circumstances to what he would be doing at West Ham.
He succeeded Steve Cooper in December 2023 with Forest struggling in 17th with one win in 13 matches. He steered them to safety, six points clear of the relegation zone. Then in 2024/25, his first full season at the City Ground, he led Forest to a seventh-placed finish, earning the club qualification for the UEFA Europa League.