OFFICIAL: Graham Potter appointed as new West Ham head coach

Cameron Smith

• Updated: 9 Jan 2025 02:20 CST
• 3 min read

Breaking

West Ham United have officially appointed Graham Potter as their new head coach following the sacking of Julen Lopetegui.

Potter has signed a two-and-a-half year contract at the London Stadium to mark his return to management after leaving Chelsea in April 2023.

The 49-year-old will take charge of his first West Ham game against Aston Villa in the FA Cup third round on Friday evening, before facing Fulham in the Premier League on Tuesday.

Potter was the West Ham board’s “unanimous choice” to succeed Lopetegui, with the Spaniard sacked following a poor start to the new campaign.

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What has been said?

In an official statement posted on the club’s website, Potter said: “I am delighted to be here. It was important to me that I waited until a job came along that I felt was right for me, and equally that I was the right fit for the Club I am joining. That is the feeling I have with West Ham United.

“My conversations with the Chairman and the Board have been very positive and constructive, we share the same values of hard work and high energy to create the solid foundations that can produce success, and we are on the same wavelength in terms of what is needed in the short-term and then how we want to move the Club forward in the medium to long term.

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“West Ham United is a huge Club, at the heart of London, with a tremendous fanbase and great support all around the world,” Potter added.

“I saw the scenes that followed their Europa Conference League victory in 2023 and it was clear that this is a Club with everything in place to become consistently successful, both on and off the pitch.

“The Club have made a lot of good progress in recent years and ensured there are some very strong foundations in place to build on.

"You don’t win a European trophy by fluke – there has to be a good bedrock at a football club for that to happen, and the challenge now is to take that on and build the next steps, to develop a team and a Club that the supporters can be proud of.”

West Ham are currently 14th in the Premier League table, seven points clear of the relegation zone.