Paulo Fonseca has been listed as a possible successor to David Moyes at West Ham United should the Scotsman depart this summer.

What’s the latest on Paulo Fonseca to West Ham?

According to The Sun, the Portuguese, who is currently at Ligue 1 club Lille, is “interested” in the position and the Hammers' hierarchy has “identified” him as a potential replacement for Moyes.

This outlet has also revealed that the 50-year-old is open to leaving France this summer should he not receive assurances over available transfer funds, and considering the Irons’ lavish spending last summer, they could represent an attractive prospect.

The report also names the recently sacked duo of Graham Potter and Brendan Rodgers, as well as Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso, as other alternatives.

Fonseca previously came close to joining the east London outfit in 2018, but the club eventually opted for Manuel Pellegrini.

Moyes’ job hangs perilously in the balance as the club were only four points above the relegation zone heading into the weekend, though they find themselves in a European semi-final, so it could either be a hugely successful campaign or a complete travesty.

What would Paulo Fonseca bring to West Ham?

Lille are currently fifth in French domestic standings, while Fonseca has been widely praised for his attractive, free-flowing style of play.

Indeed, sections of the media have waxed lyrical over the style of his “delightful football”, which has alerted West Ham to his obvious managerial talent.

In stark contrast, Moyes has been questioned for his defensive tendencies, and after a 2-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur earlier in the season, club captain Declan Rice questioned his tactical acumen.

He said: “Sometimes when you play with a five at the back and a three like we set up today, maybe our strikers felt a bit isolated when we got the ball up them. They didn’t really have much around them, not enough support.”

Meanwhile, Fonseca rose to prominence after securing three consecutive league and cup doubles with Shakhtar Donetsk, deploying a 4-2-3-1 formation that dominated possession. He also made it to the Champions League knockout stages during this period.

He then took a job at Roma and displayed his tactical adaptability and ingenuity by switching to a 3-4-3 setup, reaching the Europa League semi-finals in his second season. He feels a change of shape doesn’t detract from his inherently attacking philosophy as his Lille side has netted 60 goals in 33 outings.

The Hammers are in a peculiar position of potentially winning a trophy while facing an outside chance of relegation. They are only four points above the drop zone, but if Moyes can win the Europa Conference League, he can secure the Irons their first trophy since 1980 and European football for a third year running.

However, despite the tremendous job he has done, there has been a severe decline in the consistency of his team, and it appears a change is needed to reinvigorate this underperforming squad.