Avram Grant is the odds-on favourite with Sky Bet to become the next manager of West Ham after Gianfranco Zola was sacked this morning.

The Hammers narrowly avoided relegation this season by finishing fourth from bottom in the Premier League, five points above Burnley, and owners David Sullian and David Gold have decided a change in manager was needed.

Current Portsmouth chief Grant was 5/1 with the Harrogate-based firm yesterday but a run of interest forced his odds to be slashed to 1/4, prior to this morning's news of Zola's departure.

Croatia boss Slaven Bilic is next in the betting at 5/1 (cut from 14/1 this morning) and Alex McLeish, Martin Jol and Mark Hughes have also been the subject of some interesting market moves.

Alan Curbishley (12/1) and Alan Pardew (16/1) can be backed to make a shock return to Upton Park with former England boss Glenn Hoddle (16/1) and Leicester manager Nigel Pearson (16/1) also near the front of the market.