Revealed: How much West Ham have paid sacked Julen Lopetegui in compensation
West Ham United have parted company with Julen Lopetegui, after the Hammers elected to part company with the Spanish manager after just six months at the helm at the London Stadium.
by Matt Hughes · The MirrorWest Ham have splashed out £3.3million in compensation to sack Julen Lopetegui.
Mirror Football has learned that the Spanish manager had a 12-month compensation clause in his contract at the London Stadium, which West Ham have paid to terminate his contract after just six months.
Lopetegui took training on Tuesday and had been due to hold a press conference on Wednesday to preview Friday's FA Cup third-round tie against Aston Villa. However, early on Wednesday morning, it was confirmed that that meeting with the media had been cancelled with the writing on the wall for the former Wolves and Real Madrid manager.
Lopetegui has paid the price for back-to-back heavy defeats by Liverpool and Manchester City over the Christmas period, with the Hammers a lowly 14th in the Premier League. Lopetegui has been dutifully continuing preparations for the Villa despite knowing the search for his successor was well under way.
Lopetegui signed a two-year contract at West Ham last summer which gave the club an option to extend it by 12 months. The severance clause entitles Lopetegui to one year's salary, which is worth £3.3m before bonuses.
West Ham have been reluctant to pay compensation under the ownership of David Sullivan, and Lopetegui would become just the third manager to be sacked mid-season in the last 15 years.
Hiring a replacement for Lopetegui until the end of the season would cost West Ham another £2m before bonuses. Talks with Graham Potter and former AC Milan manager Paulo Fonseca have already been held, with Potter looking set to return to management as his successor.
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