West Ham manager David Moyes will leave his role by mutual consent when his contract expires at the end of the season, the Premier League club confirmed on Monday.
Moyes, 61, ended West Ham’s 43-year wait for a trophy in his second spell as the club’s manager by winning the Europa Conference League last season, but pressure had been building on the Scottish coach during the team’s recent poor run of form that culminated in a 5-0 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
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“I have really enjoyed working with everyone at West Ham, and I would like to thank the board for giving me the opportunity to manage this great club,” Moyes said in a statement.
“I have enjoyed four and a half brilliant years at West Ham, and the club is in a stronger position than when I returned back in 2019.
“When I joined West Ham for a second time, the club was one place above the relegation zone, and it has been a terrific journey to have achieved three consecutive seasons in Europe.
“I would like to thank all the players for their support, and all the success they have achieved, over the last four and a half years.
“I wish my eventual successor, the directors, the players, the staff, the fans, and everybody at West Ham, all the very best for the future.”
Sources have told ESPN that West Ham officials have held talks with Julen Lopetegui over the possibility of him taking over as head coach ahead of next season.
West Ham’s board confirmed the search for Moyes’ successor is underway and thanked him for his years of service.
“On behalf of everyone at West Ham United, I would like to offer our sincere thanks and gratitude to David for the contribution he has made to the football club during his time as manager,” joint-chairman David Sullivan said.
“David has been responsible for a period of great progress and success in our history, and we are extremely grateful for all of his hard work, commitment and dedication to the role.
“By making this announcement now, it allows David to get the send-off he deserves from the West Ham supporters and for us all to show our appreciation to him at our final home fixture of the season against Luton Town on Saturday.”
Moyes first made his name as a coach at Preston North End and then during an 11-year spell in charge of Everton, where he was consistently able to produce a competitive team on a tight budget.
Under Moyes, Everton finished fourth in the 2004-05 Premier League season and he was named the League Managers Association (LMA) Manager of the Year as a result — the second of three LMA awards he was won in his career.
His work at Everton caught the eye of legendary Manchester United manager and fellow Scot Sir Alex Ferguson, who hand-picked Moyes as his successor when he retired in May 2013.
While he did win the Community Shield with United, Moyes oversaw a decline in performances at Old Trafford and was sacked in April, nine months after signing a six-year contract.
Spells in charge of Sunderland and Real Sociedad followed before Moyes began his first stint as West Ham manager in November 2017. While he only spent six months in charge, Moyes helped the team to avoid relegation from the Premier League, steering them to a 13th-place finish.
He returned to take over for a second time in December 2019, repeating his earlier feat in inspiring the team to avoid relegation before establishing a distinctive style of play that has seen the club compete in Europe for the last two seasons.
Moyes, who has taken charge of more than 500 Premier League matches, will lead West Ham in their remaining two matches against Luton Town on Saturday and versus Manchester City on the final day of the season.
