A journalist who interviewed Jose Mourinho this week has made a big West Ham job claim but would the owners do it?
Well it was good while it lasted for West Ham fans but it now looks like Ruben Amorim will not be replacing David Moyes.
Hammers fans were frenzied yesterday after several leading football insiders revealed the coveted Sporting boss had flown to London for talks with West Ham.
But like West Ham’s dreams, the prospect of making Amorim the new Hammers boss has faded and died.
That now leaves West Ham feeling like any other choice will be a marked step down.
Technical director Tim Steidten faces an extremely busy summer. West Ham need at least 10 new signings with the squad already short by three or four players and six out of contract at the end of the campaign.
That’s not to mention the likely sales of the likes of Lucas Paqueta, Nayef Aguerd and Maxwel Cornet.
But Steidten’s first order of business will be to appoint a new manager.
West Ham search for new manager continues
Now Amorim has been removed from the shortlist, where will West Ham turn next?
A host of other managers have been linked as potential replacements for Moyes at West Ham.
One name which continues to crop up is Jose Mourinho.
Back in October it was claimed Mourinho could replace Moyes in the Hammers hotseat when he leaves Roma.
That was expedited when he was sacked in January.
It was not the first time that Mourinho, 61, had been linked with the West Ham manager’s job either.
West Ham’s owners were allegedly interested in replacing Moyes with Mourinho last season.
TeamTalk claimed this month that the out of work ‘Special One’ could take over from Moyes this summer.
Well now a journalist who has just interviewed Mourinho has made a big West Ham job claim.
Journalist interviews Mourinho and makes big West Ham claim
The Telegraph’s Sam Wallace sat down for an exclusive chat with Mourinho this week.
The 61-year-old insisted he is not done with management and wants his next challenge.
Wallace then put it to the serial winner whether he could picture himself managing a club like West Ham or Brighton.
And Wallace said he came away from the interview very much believing he now would.
“He has not been mentioned in connection with many of the big jobs coming up this summer…” Wallace said.
“I suggest it would be hard to envisage him in charge of West Ham or Brighton. The mention of two specific clubs means that he first has to caveat the question by pointing out both have managers. But what follows is instructive.”
Mourinho said: “The only thing I want is that the targets and the objectives have to be established by everyone in a fair way. I cannot go to a club where, because of my history, the objective is to win the title. No. The only thing I want is that it has to be fair.”
Wallace then added: “All of which sounds like he might just accept a club like West Ham or Brighton if the offer is right. He is certainly up for doing things differently.”
Owners simply aren’t keen
The problem is that even if West Ham’s fans were up for it, the club’s owners seem reluctant.
In the wake of new Mourinho rumours last weekend, I reached out to a source very close to co-owner David Sullivan to ask if there was any truth to claims the ex Chelsea boss could be appointed.
The one-word response, in capitals, suggests there would need to be a significant change of stance as I was told: “ZERO”.
Mourinho is certainly box office. And there would never be a dull moment, as you can see from his “best bits” below.
In terms of CV he would also surely head the list of out of work managers this summer.
But joining West Ham clearly looks extremely unlikely. Even if Mourinho is up for it as Wallace suggests he might be.
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