West Ham may avoid sacking Potter due to major PSR hit.

Having sacked Lopetegui over half a year ago, you’d have hoped West Ham had learnt that going for cheap, free managers can actually be just as expensive as getting one that’s employed. Unfortunately, this is West Ham we’re talking about.

So far, Graham Potter has done nothing to show he’s the right man for the job. However, he could be saved due to the cost of sacking him.

“Among the supposed conditions of that deal were break clauses which the club could trigger if the manager doesn’t meet certain targets,” finance expert Adam Williams told TBR football.

“The basic assumption with a manager’s contract is that a club has to buy out the remainder or at least a significant portion of his deal in order to terminate it early.”

“Lopetegui was said to be entitled to £3.3m in compensation when he was sacked. If we assume that’s a year’s salary, that equates to just less than £65,000 weekly.”

“I’m speculating, but I imagine Potter’s contract won’t be too dissimilar. Sometimes that seven-figure fee is paid out in one go, while in other instances the manager will continue to receive their salary.”

“As far as the accounts are concerned, however, I suspect it would be capitalised immediately either way – and that means that, even if he continued to receive his salary as normal, the total cost would be deducted from West Ham’s bottom line and, by extension, their PSR calculation.”

Given how the board have been constantly spouting about a lack of funds, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them wait until one of these break clauses come into effect before getting rid of him.