Battle over Paqueta is centre stage in new era for Hammers

IF DAVID Moyes had had his way, West Ham's final home game of the season tomorrow, against Luton Town, might be only a suspected farewell, rather than the real thing.

- Malik Ouzia

All season, and even as in recent weeks spiralling results have seen the tide flowing only one way, the manager had insisted that no decision over his future would come until the campaign's final ball had been kicked.

That all changed on Monday, when against the backdrop of a bank holiday deluge, the current became too strong: a 5-0 thrashing at Chelsea 24 hours earlier, coupled with reports that ex-Real Madrid coach Julen Lopetegui's appointment was close to a done thing, saw West Ham accelerate plans.

Moyes, it was announced, would be leaving the club at the end of his contract this summer - by "mutual consent", as is the language of these things - and at last the uncertainty that must surely have contributed to the Hammers' late-season downturn had been put to rest. And so attention will shift to the second unknown set to define the West Ham summer, one that, unlike a managerial situation in need of urgent resolution, has potential to rumble on.