West Ham United Face Shock Links To Former Chelsea Legend As Pressure Intensifies: Would He Really Solve The Problem? | OneFootball

West Ham appointed Graham Potter as the manager in January 2025 by sacking Julen Lopetegui. The board might have felt that Potter would have fixed the issues in the team, and hence offered him a two-and-a-half-year deal. When he took over, the situation of the Hammers was troublesome as the team was going down the table.

However, he did not have a good start to his tenure as West Ham just won one out of the first six matches with Potter on the bench. The team finished 14th in the Premier League points table at the end of the season. The Hammers have yet again not made a bright start to the season, and the pressure is on Potter’s position.

Reports even suggested that Jose Mourinho wanted the West Ham job before taking charge of Benfica, which underlined how high-profile managers still view the club as an appealing challenge. However, Potter remains in charge as of now.

Rumblings over Potter’s future

Meanwhile, journalist Pete O’Rourke, in his report on Football Insider, has added to the rumours of a possible change in manager. He reported that the Hammers have started looking for possible alternatives to replace Potter. O’Rourke revealed that the West Ham board are looking at former Chelsea midfielder and manager, Frank Lampard, as one of the possible options to replace Potter on the bench.

However, the Englishman is not likely to come back to the London Stadium due to his controversial departure as a player from West Ham, and a section of fans not agreeing with his comeback. The journalist revealed that if West Ham have to appoint a new manager, then he should actually be in line with what the fans want, as they have become angry and frustrated with the current situation of the club.

What did he say?

“West Ham are doing their homework on potential managerial alternatives to Potter. There have been links with Lampard, which seem highly unlikely due to the feeling between the West Ham fans and Lampard after his departure from West Ham as a player. I think if West Ham do decide to pull the trigger on Potter and look for a change, they’ll need to find somebody who can galvanise the fan base right now because that’s another big issue. Potter’s not been able to do that, you’ve got protests going on, and there’s real unrest at West Ham, whether it be the team on the pitch or the board. So it’s going to be a big job for Potter if he is going to turn things around, but for now, he does still have the backing of the board.”

In addition, reports suggest that former Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo would be interested in the West Ham post, which adds another dimension to the conversation about possible replacements.

Would Lampard really solve the problem?

OXFORD, ENGLAND – AUGUST 30: Frank Lampard, Manager of Coventry City, applauds the fans after the Sky Bet Championship match between Oxford United and Coventry City at Kassam Stadium on August 30, 2025 in Oxford, England. (Photo by Alex Burstow/Getty Images)

The idea of Frank Lampard stepping into the West Ham dugout divides opinion and rightly so. On one hand, his name brings instant attention, but his record since leaving Derby hardly inspires confidence. His spells at Chelsea and Everton repeatedly exposed defensive fragility, a lack of balance, and tactical rigidity. Even the 47-year-old’s caretaker’s return to Chelsea turned into a reminder of his struggles at the highest level.

For West Ham, replacing Potter after just eight months would carry immense risk, not least because the club appointed him to instil a longer-term philosophy, something he proved capable of during his successful spell at Brighton, where his attacking structure earned plaudits. Lampard, in contrast, often prefers a 4-3-3 that demands intensity and a coordinated high press, but those strengths frequently unravel if opponents break through the first wave, leaving his sides alarmingly exposed.

While at Coventry, he has hinted at greater flexibility, there remains no certainty that his methods would adapt to West Ham’s current predicament. Beyond tactics, his history with the club complicates matters, as his acrimonious departure still lingers with many supporters. A move for Lampard would be a gamble fraught with the danger of igniting further unrest rather than delivering stability. At a time when unity feels essential, persisting with Potter, at least for now, may represent the more measured course.