Technical director Tim Steidten has been a big hit at West Ham and has been linked with a move for Bayer Leverkusen forward Victor Boniface.
There was some initial alleged turbulence behind the scenes when Tim Steidten arrived at West Ham last summer.
But by the end of his first window the German was widely regarded to have overseen some of the best business in the Premier League.
The likes of Edson Alvarez and Mohammed Kudus have proved brilliant signings.
And Steidten’s next big task this summer will be to bring a top quality young striker to West Ham.
Michail Antonio turns 34 next week. Danny Ings’ move simply hasn’t worked out. And Jarrod Bowen offers much more playing off his preferred right-hand side.
Top young striker next on Steidten’s hit list
The Hammers have been linked with a host of strikers including one at Steidten’s former club Bayer Leverkusen.
Nigerian forward Victor Boniface has 16 goals in as many games for the Germans. And he has laid on eight assists too.
He also scored a superb goal against West Ham in a 4-0 pre-season win.
In January a journalist claimed West Ham’s owners are going to back Steidten with a record £50m move for Boniface in the summer.
Boniface is not the only Bundesliga star Steidten has been linked with.
Boniface chase another transfer chess masterclass?
The Hammers’ recruitment chief is also reportedly plotting a move for Stuttgart star Chris Fuhrich.
And it seems he is playing an astute game of transfer chess – just like he did with the signings of Alvarez and Kudus last summer.
Because clever Steidten gives West Ham major hope of signing striker Boniface after a development.
According to German outlet Kicker, Leverkusen are preparing to sell one of their strikers in the summer.
And they want to use the money to sign Fuhrich and fellow rising German star Maximilian Beier.
The report claims it would cost West Ham’s Europa League quarter-final opponents around £50m to land both Fuhrich and Beier.
Hence the Bundesliga leaders facing the reality of having to sell Boniface or ex Hammers target Adam Hlozek.
Steidten used similar tactic to land Kudus
This could be a transfer masterstroke from Steidten.
He did the same thing in the summer with a curve-ball move for Carlos Borges – who he knew was wanted by Ajax.
West Ham always wanted to sign Kudus but by leaking interest in Borges it drove up his price and forced Ajax to act.
That then left the Dutch giants needing to sell – playing right into West Ham’s hands.
It looks like that’s what Steidten is doing here with Fuhrich and Boniface too.
This just shows how vital it is to have a transfer market expert calling the shots on deals.
The summer window opens in less than three months.