Key Irons figure to depart

Stoke City want to appoint Ricky Martin as their technical director, and the West Ham academy manager is on the verge of making the move, according to a new report.

Football League World carries a report from The West Ham Way, claiming that the Championship club have made a move to hire the close ally of manager Alex Neil.

The pair worked together at Norwich City and Martin was previously the club’s Technical Director.

He is likely to take up the same role with Stoke if he does make the move, and would leave the Hammers needing to hire a replacement in the role.

Martin has been with the Hammers since 2019, and has previously managed at youth level during his time at Norwich.

His exit would be a potential blow for David Moyes, who has gone about reshaping his backroom team in recent years, as the club undergoes a strategic revamp.