Fellow Premier League clubs Crystal Palace and West Ham could soon battle for the same manager. Paulo Fonseca is reportedly a summer target for both London-based teams. The Guardian and Evening Standard are both claiming that the clubs are interested in the coach. The Portuguese coach is currently managing French side Lille at the moment. Fonseca has the team sitting fifth in the Ligue 1 table, up from 10th before joining the club last summer.
Subpar seasons could mean new managers for Palace, West Ham
Crystal Palace previously fired Patrick Vieira following a disappointing current campaign. The former Arsenal legend finished a fairly respectable 12th in the Premier League during his freshman season at Palace. However, the Frenchman found his club in a relegation the club sacked him in March.
Veteran coach Roy Hodgson came back on March 21 and he hasn’t lost a game since. The south London team is now sitting 12th in the league, nine points from the drop zone. Appointing Hodgson was a temporary fix by club officials. Nevertheless, things may change if the 75-year-old coach keeps winning.
West Ham is in a bit of a different situation in comparison to their English counterparts. They have not yet sacked their manager. David Moyes is still currently at the helm with the Hammers. However, there is a growing likelihood that the Scot will not return for the 2023/24 campaign.
Typically a top-half team, West Ham is right in the middle of the Premier League relegation battle. The Hammers currently sit 15th in the table, just four points from a potential place in the Championship.
Paulo Fonseca almost landed at West Ham in 2018
Fonseca does have a little history with Premier League clubs. The coach previously interviewed for West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur managerial vacancies in recent years. He nearly received the Hammers job in 2018, but club brass opted to choose Manuel Pellegrini instead. Spurs similarly picked Nuno Espirito Santo over Fonseca in 2021 as well.
The Portuguese coach has brought an attractive attacking style to Lille. In fact, the club has the fourth-most goals in the French top flight (56) and averages 60.2% possession in league play. This is only a fraction lower than powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain.
PHOTO: IMAGO / sportphoto24
