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JULES IN THE CROWN
New West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui drawing up star-studded summer transfer shortlist including 2022 World Cup winner
It comes as West Ham prepare to say farewell to a 10-year veteran defender this summer
JULEN LOPETEGUI is already drawing up lists of potential buys this summer as he closes in on becoming the next West Ham boss.
And the Spaniard is considering raiding former club Sevilla for striker Youssef En-Nesyri and defender Marcos Acuna.
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Current Hammers chief David Moyes is leaving at the end of the season and Lopetegui has been in talks about taking over.
He believes West Ham need a new striker with current centre-forward Michail Antonio now 34.
En-Nesyri, 26, has previously been linked with them but with his old manager set to take over at the London Stadium he is now eager to try the Premier League.
The Morrocco international has scored 18 goals this season for club and country.
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Left-back Acuna is a World Cup winner with Argentina and, although now 32, is considered a possible new signing.
Aaron Cresswell is 34 and out of contract come June, so Acuna could offer competition to current first choice Emerson.
Acuna has a year left on his contract at Sevilla and is a relatively high earner.
With Sevilla facing a year with no European competition, the club could be willing to let him go for a lower transfer fee.
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Lopetegui has made initial enquiries about the availability of both players but has not yet been announced as new boss at West Ham.
Moyes has two games remaining before leaving West Ham for the second time, having won them the European Conference League trophy last summer.
David Moyes lands new job days after West Ham exit is announced
Their final home game of the season comes against Luton this weekend, before they travel to Manchester City on the final day.
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West Ham have worst stadium in Premier League
By Andy Dillon
All that has been achieved under David Moyes has made West Ham forget that they have by far the worst home ground in the entire Prem.
A stadium totally unfit for staging regular football matches.
One that can work on big European nights when the fans have electrified their voices in the nearby Carpenters Arms before kick-off.
But one which drains your soul during routine home games against the likes of Burnley or Everton.
A home ground where giant trampolines separate fans from the action.
With temporary seating and scaffolding trying to bring the players and crowd closer.
When West Ham are playing badly but winning, issues with the rented stadium are pushed aside.
If they are playing badly and losing, the whole festering sore surfaces and the frustration will be aimed once more at chairman David Sullivan and vice-chair Karren Brady.
It wasn’t long ago that fans were invading the pitch, that 8,000 protested against the owners, that Sullivan was hit in the eye by a coin thrown from the crowd. Moyes has been an effective human shield with his consistent, if not entirely pretty, brand of success.
This is what incoming boss Lopetegui has to contend with.
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