Paul Nevin is set to join Patrick Vieira’s backroom staff at Strasbourg after becoming the second member of David Moyes’s coaching team to leave West Ham this summer. Nevin, who is expected to remain part of Gareth Southgate’s England backroom staff, has been influential at West Ham.
The 54-year-old asked for permission to leave after being approached by Strasbourg and the timing of his departure is hardly ideal for Moyes given that the Scot is yet to find a replacement for Mark Warburton, who left his job as first-team assistant coach last month.
Moyes, whose backroom staff comprises Kevin Nolan, Billy McKinlay and Xavi Valero, must decide whether to bring in two new coaches and there could be further upheaval if Rob Newman leaves his job as head of recruitment. Newman has been under pressure since last summer and there is uncertainty over his future after West Ham appointed Tim Steidten as their technical director.
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It is believed Steidten will work with Mark Noble, the sporting director, Moyes and the club’s co-owner David Sullivan on signings. West Ham are expected to be busy once they have completed the £105m sale of Declan Rice to Arsenal.
Moyes likes to have a heavy input on transfer business and it will be interesting to see how he functions in West Ham’s new set-up. The manager was under pressure last season and has a year on his contract but he has been kept on after leading West Ham to glory in the Europa Conference League last month.
Winning West Ham’s first trophy in 43 years has made Moyes untouchable for now. But he is likely to want more of his own people around him. Two trusted members of his backroom staff, Stuart Pearce and Alan Irvine, left last summer.
Warburton joined last year and found that his ideas did not mesh with Moyes’s vision. There has been no fallout but it was felt that a parting of the ways was the best solution.
Nevin’s departure is more of a disappointment. He joined West Ham in February 2020 and has played his part in the club qualifying for Europe in three consecutive seasons.
Vieira was appointed by Strasbourg on Sunday and last month Chelsea bought a majority stake in the club and have made the Ligue 1 side part of their multi-club project.
West Ham are considering whether to push ahead with a loan move for Juventus’s Denis Zakaria as they prepare to strengthen in midfield. Moyes wants to replace Rice with at least two midfielders and preliminary talks have been held over a deal for Zakaria. Juve are ready to move the Switzerland midfielder out and West Ham could sign him on loan with an option to buy at about €18m (£15.4m).
Zakaria has had a taste of the Premier League after spending last season on loan at Chelsea, although injuries restricted him to 10 appearances in all competitions. The 26-year-old joined Juve from Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2017 and featured at last year’s World Cup.
It is not guaranteed West Ham will move for Zakaria, who is an affordable option. They have not made a final decision on their targets. There is strong interest in Fulham’s João Palhinha, who is expected to cost at least £50m, and Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse. Southampton are desperate to sign Flynn Downes, who has made little impact since joining West Ham last summer.
West Ham could revive their interest in Ajax’s Edson Álvarez, whose move to Borussia Dortmund has stalled over personal terms, and they have tracked Manchester United’s Scott McTominay, Everton’s Amadou Onana and Bristol City’s Alex Scott, who is a key target for Wolves.
Moyes also wants a centre-back, with Sunderland’s Dan Ballard on his shortlist, and is targeting a left winger. West Ham are rivalling Newcastle, Aston Villa and Tottenham for Leicester’s Harvey Barnes.
