West Ham make internal checks with three managers as pressure grows on Lopetegui

West Ham United have made internal checks on Kasper Hjulmand, Roger Schmidt and VfB Stuttgart manager Sebastian Hoeness, according to the Guardian.

The Hammers have used the November international break to explore potential managerial replacements for Julen Lopetegui, and he could lose his job if the next two results are not good enough.

West Ham visit Newcastle United next Monday for their next Premier League game before hosting Arsenal on Saturday, and failure to get tangible results from those games could be costly.

A heavy defeat to Newcastle could even force the Hammers to act quicker, and Lopetegui will be desperate to get a result.

While majority owner David Sullivan is reluctant to sack the former Real Madrid boss, talks have been held over making a change.

Hjulmand was in charge of the Denmark national team before resigning in July 2024, and a return to club football could appeal to him.

The 52-year-old has experience managing Nordsjælland, Mainz 05 and Lyngby, and he boasts much-needed experience having been coaching since 1998.

Schmidt was with Benfica until August 2024, leaving after two years after becoming the first German to win the Primeira Liga in 2022-23.

The West Ham managerial target also won silverware with PSV Eindhoven, Beijing Guoan and Red Bull Salzburg.

The 57-year-old has also managed Bayer Leverkusen and SC Paderborn 07, and a move to the Premier League could appeal to him.

Convincing Hoeness to leave the Bundesliga club for the Hammers could prove tricky after he turned down earlier opportunities amid links with Chelsea and Manchester United.

West Ham have not chosen their preferred candidate is they part with Lopetegui, but they will not be short of options, and it is a decision they have to get right if it comes to that.