West Ham on verge of sacking sporting director Tim Steidten after the club have taken the decision to freeze him from transfers.
West Ham on verge finalising the departure of their technical director, Tim Steidten, after freezing him out of their transfer plans.
After joining the team in the summer of 2023, Steidten quickly established himself as a major player in the transfer market. However, a string of dubious acquisitions has put increasing pressure on the 45-year-old German.
The board voted last week to limit Steidten’s access to internal systems, taking away his authority. The appointment of Kyle Macaulay as West Ham’s new recruitment analyst was interpreted as another indication that change was imminent.
Macaulay, who joined from Chelsea on Thursday, is a vital ally of Graham Potter, the new manager of West Ham. Potter is anticipated to expedite his move plans this month as a result of his appointment. Macaulay, who is well-liked in the game, might become the new head of recruitment.
Steidten was expected to depart after Julen Lopetegui was fired as manager, according to reports this month. When important negotiations with Potter started, it was seen to be a sign that he was marginalised. Karren Brady, the vice-chair of West Ham, completed the transaction.
Steidten’s tenure at West Ham has been marked by tense relationships with managers. Lopetegui is believed to have banned him from the training site because he did not agree with David Moyes, who denied him access to the first team dressing room the previous season. This month, West Ham analyst Max Hahn has been given increased responsibility for signings.
After seeing little return on an expenditure of over £100 million in new acquisitions last summer, West Ham began to have concerns about Steidten, who introduced his brother Moritz to the team. The decision to spend £27.5 million on the 31-year-old German striker Niclas Füllkrug, who is sidelined for up to 12 weeks due to a hamstring injury, and £25 million on the young Brazilian winger Luis Guilherme, who has hardly played, was a major source of their discontent. Another Steidten pick who hasn’t lived up to expectations is Konstantinos Mavropanos, who was signed from Stuttgart in 2023.
While a loan for Andre Silva of RB Leipzig has been explored, West Ham is interested in a move for Brian Brobbey of Ajax. The 22-year-old has three goals this season across all competitions after joining from Leipzig three years ago. Additionally, Taiwo Awoniyi of Nottingham Forest, Rodrigo Muniz of Fulham, and Evan Ferguson of Brighton are being pursued by West Ham.