West Ham United have announced that manager David Moyes will leave the club when his contract expires at the end of the season.
The news comes after reports emerged on Monday that the Hammers have agreed terms with former Wolverhampton Wanderers, Real Madrid and Sevilla boss Julen Lopetegui to succeed Moyes ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.
Moyes will take charge of West Ham's final two Premier League fixtures at home against Luton Town and away against Manchester City before departing the Hammers after four-and-a-half years at the helm.
During his time as West Ham boss, Moyes has secured two top-seven Premier League finishes, reached the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the Europa League and most notably led the club to Europa Conference League glory last season, with a 2-1 victory over Fiorentina in the final securing the Hammers' first European trophy for 58 years.
However, the 61-year-old has come under increasing pressure since the turn of the year after a poor run of results, with West Ham winning just four of their 23 games across all competitions in 2024.
West Ham suffered their 13th Premier League defeat of the season last weekend when they were thrashed 5-0 at London rival Chelsea, leaving them ninth in the table and five points behind the top seven with only two matches left to play.
© Reuters
Moyes revealed in February that West Ham had offered him a new contract, but he intended to make a final decision on his future towards the end of the current campaign.
The Hammers have now announced that Moyes "will leave the club by mutual consent" when his contract expires in June and the recruitment process for his successor has begun, although "the club will be making no further comment until a new appointment is confirmed."
David Moyes thankful for "brilliant" West Ham tenure
Speaking to West Ham's official website following the announcement of his exit, Moyes said: "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.
"After leading the club to safety, we guided the team to finishes of 6th and 7th in the Premier League, and I was delighted when we won the Europa Conference League title last June – the club's first major trophy in 43 years.
"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 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.
"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."
© Reuters
Joint-Chairman David Sullivan added: "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.
"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.
"David has been an absolute professional to work with and he will leave with our greatest respect and good wishes – he deserves to be held in the highest esteem for the service he has given to West Ham United, and we wish him every success in the future.
"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."
Across two spells with West Ham, Moyes has managed a total of 260 games across all competitions, winning 111, drawing 55 and losing 94.
Oliver Thomas
