David Moyes leaves West Ham; replacement expected ‘within next 10 days’

West Ham United has stated that manager David Moyes has resigned, and the club expects to name a replacement “within the next 10 days.”

Moyes’ short-term contract with the club expired at the end of the season, after leading the Hammers to a 13th-place finish in the Premier League.

“I’d like to express my heartfelt gratitude to David Moyes and his team for achieving the goal of keeping West Ham United in the Premier League,” joint-chairman David Sullivan said in a club statement.

David has carried himself with respect and honesty throughout his time here, and we have all found him to be a pleasure to work with. He, Alan, Stuart, and Billy took the issue and attacked it front on, turning a bad situation around. They deserve a lot of respect for the work they’ve done, and we wish them well as they leave the club.

“When David and his team arrived, both parties agreed that the focus should be solely on the six months until the end of the season, at which point a decision about the future would be made.” After taking stock of the situation and reflecting now that the campaign is over, we believe it is time to act.

We have already begun the process of identifying and recruiting the manager we believe can lead West Ham United forward in line with our goals. Within the next 10 days, we hope to nominate a high-calibre person who we believe will lead the club into an exciting future for our devoted fans.”

The announcement came just 12 hours after West Ham co-owner David Gold stated he hoped former Manchester United and Everton manager Moyes, 55, would stay in charge next season.

But that will not be the case, as West Ham announced the departures of assistants Alan Irvine, Stuart Pearce, and Billy McKinlay.

Moyes took over for Slaven Bilic in November, when West Ham were in danger of relegation, and steered the team to top-flight safety with two games to spare, thanks to a 2-0 win at Leicester on May 5.