West Ham confirm major backroom changes ahead of Julen Lopetegui arrival

West Ham have confirmed a major clear-out of their backroom staff ahead of Julen Lopetegui’s arrival, with Kevin Nolan, Billy McKinlay and recruitment chief Rob Newman among those leaving the club.

Lopetegui’s appointment as David Moyes’s successor will be announced later this week and the former Real Madrid boss will arrive with his own long-term coaching team.

Fellow Spaniard Xavi Valero, West Ham’s goalkeeper coach, is expected to be the only survivor among Moyes’s senior staff, with assistants Nolan, McKinlay, Johnny Heitinga and Henry Newman all departing.

A shake-up behind the scenes this summer will also see technical director Tim Steidten given the power to lead on transfers, with head of player recruitment Rob Newman departing.

Newman was known to be a close ally of Moyes but there have been tensions over transfer targets between the manager and Steidten this season and the club are keen to streamline that part of the operation.

Moyes managed his final game in Sunday’s defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad and confirmation of his exit earlier this month was always likely to mean the end for the majority of his staff.

McKinlay has spent more than four years at the Hammers across two spells, while Nolan returned as a coach in February 2020, having captained the club as a player.

Former Dutch international Heitinga, who played under Moyes at Everton, joined the staff last summer following the departures of Mark Warburton and Paul Nevin.

At the same time, Henry Newman was promoted from his role as an opposition analyst, while Mark Robson stepped up from his post as U21s boss.

The latter is now set to return to a position in the club’s academy but Newman has left, along with technical advisor Alan Irvine, fitness coach Nick Davies and head of performance analysis Jamie Osman.

“The Club would like to thank Billy, Kevin, John, Henry, Rob, Alan, Nick and Jamie for their hard work, commitment and dedication to West Ham United and wish each of them all the very best in the future,” a statement read.