West Ham United are reportedly keen to bring in German manager Julian Nagelsmann as their next manager, if they do part company with Slaven Bilic.
According to the Daily Express, the Hammers have already talked to Hoffenheim about manager Nagelsmann on an informal basis, but there is yet to have been a formal approach with regards to bringing him to the London Stadium.
Nagelsmann was forced into early retirement from playing, after suffering persistent knee injuries which saw his career end at under-19 level.
The German centre-back then studied Business Administration followed by Sports Science at university, then moved into coaching with Ausburg, where he briefly worked with Thomas Tuchel, who went on to manage Borussia Dortmund.
Nagelsmann was a coach with 1899 Hoffenheim during the 2012-13 season and was a successful under-19 coach for the German club, whose youth side won the 2013-14 under-19 Bundesliga under his management.
Nagelsmann, aged just 28, became Hoffenheim manager in February 2016, with the club toying with relegation. Come the end of the season, Nagelsmann had guided them to safety with seven wins from 14 games.
Even more impressively, though, was his first full season in charge — Hoffenheim finished fourth in the Bundesliga, and qualified for the UEFA Champions League playoffs for the first time in their history.
Unfortuntately for the young manager, his side lost 6-3 on aggregate over two legs against Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, who then took their place in the group stages.
It’s not all bad though, as Hoffenheim side currently sit fourth in the domestic table, just four points behind both leaders Borussia Dortmund and second-placed Bayern Munich.
