West Ham United supporters will likely have accepted that European football is probably not going to be on the cards next season, with a spiral from form in the late stage of the campaign leaving David Moyes' side in an unfavourable position.
While the Hammers are just two points behind seventh-placed Newcastle United in the Premier League, the Magpies have a game in hand and West Ham face a gruelling run of fixtures to close the campaign.
With Moyes out of contract at the end of the season, sporting director Tim Steidten has been drawing up plans for the perfect replacement, with prominent club insider EXWHUemployee recently revealing a lengthy list of managers who could be headed for the London Stadium in a matter of months.
There is no certainty that Moyes will leave the club this summer; the Scotsman, who led the Irons to the Europa Conference League title last summer, has previously claimed that he has fresh terms on the table, though the behind-the-scenes movements suggest that the board have retracted such a proposal.
While there have been several names floating around, the most recent news suggests a former Premier League boss has taken pole position in the race.
West Ham eyeing former Premier League manager
According to The Guardian, West Ham are currently in talks with Spanish manager Julen Lopetegui ahead of a summer overhaul, with the former Wolverhampton Wanderers and Real Madrid boss on the club's radar for several months now.
The recent discussions are understood to have been positive but moves will need to be made swiftly, with Lopetegui also speaking to AC Milan about replacing Stefan Pioli.
While, as Ornstein put it, Amorim was the 'top target' earlier this week, progress has stalled following concerns over the 39-year-old's €15m (£13m) release clause, with Sporting unwilling to budge.
That said, club insider ExWHUemployee has revealed that West Ham are still "interested" in the manager with there clearly being a particular liking towards the fresh and hungry tactician.
Julen Lopetegui's style of play
Lopetegui, aged 57, is an experienced manager who won the Europa League with Sevilla and, latterly, enjoyed a short but successful stint at Molineux, only leaving last summer following frustrations in the transfer market.
Pep Guardiola
1
0
3
0.75
Jurgen Klopp
1
1
2
1.00
David Moyes
2
0
1
2.00
Unai Emery
3
3
1
1.71
Antonio Conte
2
0
0
3.00
Jose Mourinho
1
0
1
1.50
But during that nine-month stay, the one-time Spanish goalkeeper led Wolves to a 13th-place Premier League finish (above West Ham), with The Athletic reporter Tim Spiers remarking that he had "clearly made improvements" to the team.
Typically fielding a 4-2-3-1 formation and pushing his players to provide a progressive and attractive style of play, Lopetegui would offer a welcome new brand to that of Moyes, whom segments of the Hammers support have long criticised for a negative style of play.
His possession-based approach would work well at West Ham, yes, but Steidten must consider the benefits of being a bit bolder and pushing for Amorim's signature.
The young managerial buck would be something of a risk – and a costly one at that – but the possible rewards of a successful implementation of his system could propel an ambitious outfit to new heights.
Why West Ham should appoint Ruben Amorim
While £13m is no small sum for a manager, the proof is in the pudding vis-a-vis Amorim's pedigree. It's hard to imagine a future now around the forefront of the European scene.
So swing open the doors, roll out the carpet – and bring him to the London Stadium. Sure, West Ham would have to undergo something of a transformation to accommodate Amorim's three-man backline, suffocating high-press and slick, expressive passing game, but there is little question that he has the mark of a high-level winner.
Sporting's triumph in Liga Portugal is a racing certainty at this late stage of the campaign, seven points clear of second-placed Benfica with four matches left to play. It will be his second title in four years against the divisional monopoly of Benfica and Porto.
And his delicious brand of football would, if applied right, lift West Ham to a whole 'nother level, going from strength to strength in his homeland and excelling with his high-up-the-pitch ball-playing style, drilling a natural sense of composure and understanding into his players.
There is, surely, an acknowledgement within the West Ham board that drastic changes would be needed to inculcate such quality into the current crop, with Moyes' counter-attacking, defensively sound style wildly different to Amorim's, who has been hailed for his "incredible" football at Sporting by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Fresh wing-backs would be needed. A pass-proficient centre-half is a necessity. A mobile and multi-dimensional striker would be required. Lucas Paqueta, who has an £85m release clause, may well be sold to Manchester City. He will need replacing.
But the potential is vast, giddying. West Ham boast a squad and an infrastructure with demonstrable trophy-winning ability. The faculty for success is evident.
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It would be a risk, probably more so than Lopetegui, but Amorim's prospective appointment would gift West Ham with something wonderful, transcending anything that Moyes has achieved in east London. And that's not an easy feat.
There is a reason that Liverpool reportedly have held a vested interest in bringing him to Anfield, and even though the Reds have moved their attention elsewhere, it bears testament to Amorim's managerial prowess that he has earned such attention at this young and developing stage of his career.
West Ham must soon decide their course of action, but it's hard to imagine the ceiling will be so high with any available boss other than Amorim.