West Ham weigh Bilic return as Potter comes under mounting pressure

West Ham United are weighing an emotional return for Slaven Bilic as the pressure around Graham Potter’s position intensifies, according to reports circulating on the club’s wider monitoring of the situation. The former Hammers manager, who left the club in 2017 after a two-and-a-half-year spell, would be available to take charge on an interim basis should the resistance to Potter’s system persist or deepen. The development comes amid a troubling start to the season that has left the team scrambling for points and momentum.

Potter's arrival in January on a two-and-a-half-year contract had been seen as a long-term project, but the early results have not reflected that plan. West Ham have won just one of their opening four Premier League fixtures, losing three, and sit 18th in the table. They were also eliminated from the EFL Cup, a setback that has contributed to the growing discontent among supporters regarding the direction of the club under the ownership of major shareholder David Sullivan. The mood around the London Stadium has grown testy ahead of Saturday’s home game against Crystal Palace, a fixture many see as a barometer for Potter’s immediate future. While the club’s hierarchy are understood to be prepared to back the manager if a late rally is seen, there is a clear contingency plan in motion should results fail to improve.

It is understood Potter will not be dismissed automatically if West Ham manage to beat Palace, but the fixtures that follow—away at Everton and home to Arsenal—will carry significant weight in how the club assesses its options. West Ham are intent on turning things around under Potter and ambitious about re-establishing themselves after a turbulent start to the campaign. Yet the scale of the challenge has prompted the club to draw up a shortlist of potential alternatives, with Bilic at the top of the list of candidates who could provide a quick and stabilizing fix while a longer-term decision is considered. The goal, sources say, is to secure a short-term arrangement that preserves the club’s identity and provides a sense of continuity for a squad that is learning to adapt to Potter’s methods.

Bilic, a hugely popular figure with West Ham supporters, would be available with immediate effect. The Croatian took charge of the club from 2015 to 2017, delivering notable results including Premier League wins at Anfield and the Etihad Stadium, guiding West Ham to Europa League play-offs and drawing memorable performances from Dimitri Payet. His affinity with the Upton Park era, and the warmth with which he is regarded by large sections of the fanbase, has contributed to the sense that an emotional return could galvanize the squad and the support at a challenging time. Bilic’s most recent managerial role was in Saudi Arabia with Al-Fateh, a position he left before the current season and one that has not diminished his availability for a short-term return if the club requested it.

The potential move to Bilic is seen as having a unifying potential, particularly given the current undercurrent of frustration among fans who have long cherished the club’s identity and its history of playing progressive football. While the possibility exists that Nuno Espirito Santo, who recently parted ways with Nottingham Forest, could also be in the frame, Bilic’s familiarity with West Ham and his status as a club legend make the Croatian an especially attractive option for a quick revival of the club’s fortunes. The discussions are described in terms of contingency planning rather than an imminent change, but the sense among those close to the process is that the club wants to be prepared should results fail to improve in the near term.

Bilic’s return would be framed as a short-term measure designed to steady a ship that currently appears to be meandering. It would likely be designed to coincide with a broader assessment of the club’s broader approach under Sullivan’s ownership, including how the squad is being managed, how transfers are executed, and how the team’s long-term strategy aligns with the players available. The idea is to preserve the club’s sense of identity while a longer-term assessment is conducted to secure a stable footing for the club going forward.

Bilic’s case rests on a track record that resonated with fans during his first spell. His West Ham tenure included notable results against traditional title contenders, and his charisma and closeness to the fanbase helped bridge the emotion of a club in flux. Supporters remember his ability to extract maximum effort and to encourage a cohesive team spirit, even in difficult circumstances. Those same traits are viewed as potentially valuable in a period of upheaval, when a sense of unity and purpose can be as important as tactical innovation.

In terms of timing, the process is delicately balanced. Potter’s fate is in the hands of those who monitor both performance data and the temperature among the supporter base. The upcoming fixtures against Everton and Arsenal loom large, with outcomes that could either reinforce the current plan or accelerate consideration of the contingency options. The club’s management is keenly aware that any decision must be made with sensitivity to the squad, staff, and supporters, and that a move for Bilic would need to be executed with clarity and vision to avoid further disruption.

What could follow a Bilic appointment, even on a short-term basis, remains a subject of debate. Some analysts argue that a return for Bilic would offer immediate alignment with West Ham’s culture, while others warn that revisiting an old regime could risk undermining Potter’s authority and complicating broader strategic plans. Regardless of the ultimate decision, the discussions underscore how fragile the early-season timeline can be in top-flight football, where a few results can redefine the narrative around a club’s future.

As West Ham balance emotion with pragmatism, the club’s leadership faces a careful calculation: respect for fan sentiment and historical ties, while ensuring that any change delivers tangible improvement on the pitch. In Bilic, they see a candidate who could deliver a quick impact, leverage goodwill among supporters, and stabilize a squad that is still adapting to the philosophy installed by Potter. The question remains whether the club will act decisively in the coming days or allow the existing plan to play out while monitoring the longer-term implications of any change.

The broader context of such a move involves not just footballing considerations but the optics of leadership, ownership, and the club’s long-term ambitions. If Bilic returns, even temporarily, it would be a notable moment for a club that has repeatedly navigated the balance between tradition and modern football realities. Whether this signals a shift in West Ham’s approach to managerial appointments or simply a pragmatic stopgap remains to be seen, but the possibility itself underscores the urgency of stabilizing what has been a trying period for the club, its fans, and its personnel.

The proposed plan also reflects broader discussions about the right approach to mediating between a coach’s tactical blueprint and a squad that has faced inconsistencies under Potter. It is a reminder that even clubs with strong identities can find themselves at pivotal crossroads where past loyalties intersect with the need for fresh momentum. The coming days are poised to reveal whether Bilic’s name remains a genuine option on the table or if the club will chart a different path in its pursuit of a quicker, more cohesive revival on the pitch.