Nuno Espirito Santo earned himself a brief reprieve after West Ham snatched a much-needed last-gasp win away at Tottenham, but that result has only papered over the cracks at the London Stadium.
The Hammers, 18th, remain odds-on for relegation, and pressure continues to mount on the Portuguese boss, who has picked up just 14 points from a possible 51, and is still yet to oversee a single clean sheet in the Premier League. As a result, he is priced at 7/2 to be the next Premier League manager to leave his post.
West Ham’s hierarchy have, at times, shown patience with managers, but that resolve is being tested. A pivotal period of fixtures lies ahead, starting at home to Sunderland, followed by back-to-back away trips to Chelsea and Burnley, before Manchester United visit East London.
Should Santo fail to build on the win over Spurs and results deteriorate, West Ham could decide to pull the plug on the partnership. If that comes to fruition, then who could be in line to replace him?
Below, we run through some potential candidates, but first here are the standings in the Premier League Sack Race.
Next Premier League Manager To Leave Odds
| Manager | Odds from William Hill | Odds from talkSPORT BET |
|---|---|---|
| Thomas Frank | 8/11 | 1/1 |
| Oliver Glasner | 9/4 | 9/4 |
| Nuno Espirito Santo | 7/2 | 8/1 |
| Arne Slot | 6/1 | 10/1 |
| Pep Guardiola | 13/2 | 5/1 |
| Scott Parker | 16/1 | 33/1 |
| Sean Dyche | 16/1 | 33/1 |
| No Manager To Leave | 40/1 | N/A |
| Odds correct as of 16:00 on Thursday 22nd January 2026 |
Slaven Bilic
If West Ham opt for a second managerial change this season, the timing and their league position may initially push the club towards a short-term option rather than a long-term rebuild.
That could open the door to a familiar name in Slaven Bilic. The Croatian has been loosely linked with a return to West Ham, whom he both played for, and then managed between 2015 and 2017.
Bilic oversaw 111 matches, leading the Hammers to 7th with 62 points – and Europa League qualification – a tally that the club have surpassed only once in the Premier League era, under David Moyes in 2020-21 (65).
Since leaving East London, Bilic has held posts at Al-Ittihad, West Brom, Beijing Guoan, Watford, and, most recently, Al-Fateh; the 57-year-old has been out of work since departing the latter in August 2024.
Gareth Southgate
Gareth Southgate has remained tight-lipped on a return to management since he left England in the summer of 2024. Southgate led the Three Lions for over 100 games, during which he took them to back-to-back European Championship finals, a World Cup semi-final and a quarter-final.
Southgate has not managed at club level since his spell with Middlesbrough between 2006 and 2009, and it remains unclear whether he would be tempted by a Hammers side embroiled in a relegation battle.
The 55-year-old has been linked with the permanent Manchester United job, while his former club Crystal Palace will be losing Oliver Glasner at the end of the season – or potentially even before that – so that is one to keep an eye on too.
Thomas Frank
Thomas Frank is currently fighting – a seemingly losing battle – for his future at a toxic Tottenham, where he could soon be set to lose a job he only took in the summer.
While he’s struggled in his new surroundings, Frank can look back on an incredible seven-year tenure at Brentford, who he led to a historic promotion into the Premier League, before establishing his troops in the top-flight.
That track record would make him an appealing option for West Ham, but any move would require a domino effect, with Frank needing to depart Tottenham and the Hammers also opting for a change in the dugout. Frank may well need a breather before diving straight into another job.
Marco Rose
Marco Rose would almost certainly relish the opportunity to test himself in the Premier League. The German tactician has held several high-profile roles in his homeland, including spells at Borussia Dortmund, Borussia Mönchengladbach and, most recently, RB Leipzig, having also cut his managerial teeth with Red Bull Salzburg in Austria.
Since leaving Leipzig in March last year, Rose has been waiting for the right opportunity to return to the dugout. A move to West Ham would represent a demanding baptism of fire, but his track record suggests he could inject a more progressive, energetic, and attack-minded style of football at the London Stadium.
Michael Carrick
Admittedly, this one is more of a summer scenario.
Carrick has only just stepped into the interim role at Manchester United, where he made an instant impression with a stunning win over rivals Manchester City. His deal runs until the end of the season, and whether he earns the job on a permanent basis will depend on how he performs through to May.
If United ultimately opt for an external long-term appointment, Carrick would no doubt be viewed as a tempting option for many clubs. Given his strong ties to West Ham – where he began his playing career and made over 150 appearances – a return to East London could have substance to it, although the former Middlesbrough boss would almost certainly attract interest from elsewhere too.
