West Ham revive Julen Lopetegui move and target two Championship players

West Ham have revived their move for Julen Lopetegui after learning of Milan developing second thoughts about appointing the Spaniard as their manager.

It had emerged over the weekend that Milan were close to agreeing a deal for Lopetegui to replace Stefano Pioli this summer. West Ham, who are strong contenders to sign the Coventry winger Callum O’Hare on a free transfer and the Hull centre-back Jacob Greaves, were thought to be out of the running for the former Wolves manager.

Related: Coventry’s Callum O’Hare: ‘I was stuck in bed for two months unable to move, it was horrible’

Although Lopetegui is keen to work in England again, the lure of working for a club with Milan’s history was too difficult to turn down. Since Saturday, though, there have been indications that the Serie A club have developed cold feet about moving for the 57-year-old. The deal was said to be “very, very unlikely” to go through amid suggestions in Italy of a section of Milan supporters opposing the appointment.

That has opened the door for West Ham, who are preparing to part company with David Moyes when the Scot’s deal expires at the end of the season. They have held productive talks with Lopetegui, who has been out of work since leaving Wolves before the start of this season. Lopetegui felt that Wolves had not backed him enough in the transfer market.

West Ham, who insist that they have not made a final decision on Moyes’s future, have been assessing their options and have also spoken to the former Bayern Munich and Germany manager Hansi Flick. Other candidates include Fulham’s Marco Silva and Lille’s Paulo Fonseca, who has been linked with Milan. West Ham have made no move for the former Brighton and Chelsea manager Graham Potter.

Moyes was in line to land a new two-year deal earlier this season, only for the side’s form to dip. West Ham are eighth and are unlikely to qualify for Europe. They intend to sit down with Moyes at the end of the season but, barring a late change of heart from the hierarchy, the 61-year-old’s departure is thought to be inevitable.

It promises to be a big summer for West Ham, who want to refresh their ageing squad by signing between six and eight players. They need to bolster their homegrown quota and are looking to the Championship for British talent.

West Ham want to strengthen at centre-back and talks with Greaves, the 23-year-old Hull defender, have moved in the right direction. West Ham are also interested in the Fulham centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo, whose contract is expiring, and are admirers of O’Hare, who is expected to leave Coventry.

West Ham have been impressed with O’Hare’s data and are in the running for the 25-year-old, who can play through the middle or on the left flank.