David Moyes is likely to become West Ham's manager next season - but only if current club Real Sociedad grant him permission to leave.

As widely predicted, current boss Sam Allardyce is almost certainly coming to the end of an eventful four-year tenure at the club, in which he has taken West Ham from the Championship to the top ten of the Premier League.Although he was saved from the sack last summer when the Board were split over a change, that barrier is understood to have been removed now with all three key parties - David Sullivan, David Gold and Karren Brady - in agreement that a new appointment is necessary.Much has been written in recent weeks regarding Allardyce's potential replacement, with Moyes, Rafa Benitiez, Slaven Bilic and Marcelo Bielsa highly touted as likely candidates. However David Sullivan is thought to favour signing a manager with Premier League experience.That would essentially rule out both Croatian Bilic and Argentine Bielsa - neither of whom have managed in England before. And although he may be making waves in Ligue 1 at Marseille this season 59-year-old Bielsa's inability to speak English would also rule him out of contention, with the owners considering that a priority.Benitez, as reported on KUMB in May 2014 was, like Moyes, sounded out by West Ham last summer. Yet the Spaniard is reluctant to join a club outside of England's established top four - especially with the Manchester City position likely to become available at the end of the season.Whilst that essentially leaves Moyes as the default 'top drawer' choice, the former Everton man is highly-regarded by the Hammers board and, just as importantly, Tony Henry who is leading the hunt for Allardyce's successor.Henry, who was placed in charge of player and staff recruitment by the Board last autumn previously worked with Scot Moyes at Goodison Park and the two developed a close working relationship which could yet be renewed at the Boleyn Ground.However that rests upon West Ham being able to reach agreement with Moyes' current club Real Sociedad, to whom the 51-year-old is contracted until the end of the 2015/16 seasons after signing an 18-month contract last November.Moyes has guided the Basque club to ninth place in this season's La Liga following a disappointing start to the campaign under Jagoba Arrasate.He is understood to be keen on a return to England to resurrect a domestic career that faltered at Manchester United, from where he was fired after just 10 months in the post (a blow softened by a ?5million golden handshake).West Ham's Board are also keen on making at least two marquee signings this summer to supplement the new manager's planned arrival and mark the club's final season at the Boleyn Ground before moving to Stratford.One player on the club's wish list is Carlos Tevez, who has just one more year of a three-year contract left to run at Juventus. The 31-year-old has previously signalled his intention to return to childhood club Boca, but West Ham hope they can persuade the 31-year-old crowd favourite to return to east London for a swansong.