There’s trouble in paradise for Tim Steidten as a shock claim is made about his status and standing at West Ham United.
As far as most fans are concerned West Ham are lucky to have Tim Steidten as their technical director.
The German impressed everyone last summer when he signed Mohammed Kudus and Edson Alvarez from Ajax for a bargain £72m combined.
David Moyes reportedly vetoed all Steidten’s suggestions for transfers in January, insisting on signing Kalvin Phillips instead.
That were big reasons – journalist Kaveh Solhekol has since confirmed – that Moyes is no longer at West Ham.
Last summer it was actually claimed Steidten could walk away from West Ham less than a month into the job.
Journalists Graeme Bailey and Toby Cudworth were speaking on the Talking Transfers podcast when it was stated Steidten could be prepared to walk away from his role as Hammers technical director due to difficulties striking up a working relationship with manager David Moyes.
At the time Hammers News put those claims to a very senior source close to the West Ham owners in the hope of quashing the rumour.
But the response from was far from reassuring as the top source told us: “Who knows (if he’ll walk). He finds the manager very hard work.”
Steidten’s full control euphoria also brings pressure
Steidten committed his future to West Ham back in April, though, declaring his ‘euphoria’ about having ‘full control’ from this summer.
The German, reportedly coveted by the likes of Newcastle and Liverpool, said he saw West Ham as a five-year project.
He appears to be trying to build the foundations of that project on Samba football after Julen Lopetegui’s appointment as head coach.
Steidten has been in Brazil for the last week or so trying to get deals done.
First for Corinthians winger Wesley Gassova, then Flamengo defender Fabricio Bruno and now Palmeiras midfield star Luis Guilherme.
The first two deals have hit turbulence with many reports claiming both have collapsed.
And the move for 18-year-old Guilherme is now said to be in the balance after interest from some of Europe’s elite.
Now it seems there may be trouble in paradise for Steidten as a shock claim is made about his status at West Ham.
Trouble for Steidten as shock claim made about his status
According to Mirror journalist James Nursey, Steidten’s failings in Brazil so far this summer have piled the pressure on him to make sure he lands Guilherme.
And Nursey rather ominously says his standing will be called into question if he can’t.
“After trying and failing to land Brazilians Wesley Gassova ,19, from Corinthians and Fabricio Bruno, 28, from Flamengo, West Ham technical director Tim Steidten arguably needs £25m Luis Guilherme, 18, from Palmeiras as much as the club,” Nursey said.
“If Steidten misses out again, (he) faces questions.”
This is a rather alarming claim about Steidten.
One look at what he did at Bayer Leverkusen suggests West Ham very much have the right man in place to help them rebuild.
And it is not Steidten’s fault the Hammers find themselves needing to make at least eight signings this summer.
Moyes wanted a small squad and Lopetegui has inherited a bit of a mess in that respect.
Given the sheer volume of players West Ham need this summer, though, Steidten is under pressure to make progress on deals.
Yesterday we stated that transfer reporter Fabrizio Romano has put his reputation on the line saying West Ham are close to signing Guilherme. But it seems Steidten’s own reputation is at stake if Nursey’s claim is accurate.
With Copa America and the Euros taking place this summer, the window for signing players involved in either of those tournaments will be pretty narrow either side.
And West Ham very much want to get deals done early so Lopetegui can start getting his plans in place and ideas across in pre-season.