Mancini’s name is in the frame

Roberto Mancini has emerged as a front runner to replace Slaven Bilic as West Ham manager, should results not improve significantly says the London Evening Standard. The Zenit St Petersburg boss is the bookies second favourite behind Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez if West Ham decide to make a change says the London paper.

Normally we would write this off as media speculation in the middle of the International break but the article’s author is none other than the very well connected Ken Dyer.

Former Manchester City boss Mancini was linked with West Ham last season, when Bilic found himself under pressure following a run of poor results, and the Italian was spotted at a West Ham match. His position has not been helped by co-owner David Sullivan revealing that Bilic turned down Grzegorz Krychowiak, who went to West Brom on loan from PSG, and Renato Sanches, who joined Swansea from Bayern Munich for the season.