West Ham chief Tim Steidten facing scrutiny after £123m transfer decisions
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West Ham director of football Tim Steidten is under scrutiny at the club due to concerns they have overpaid for players. The club spent £123million on eight new players last summer, which has placed major limits on the budget available to new manager Graham Potter for signings this month. Steidten’s player judgment is not in doubt as he has been behind the recruitment of players such as Mohammed Kudus since he joined the club two-and-a-half years ago, but his negotiating skills have been questioned.
With money tight West Ham chairman David Sullivan has taken a more hands-on role with player negotiations during this month’s transfer window and is working closely with Potter. Signing a new striker is the club’s priority given lengthy absences of Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio.
West Ham offered Aston Villa £57m for Jhon Duran this week, which was quickly rejected, and are not in a position to significantly increase their bid. With Antonio, Bowen and summer signing Niclas Fullkrug all absent against Crystal Palace for West Ham's last game, Kudus started as a central striker in the 2-0 defeat.
Steidten’s job is not under threat at the moment, although in the long-term much will depend on how he gels with Potter, who was given a two-and-a-half year contract when he was appointed to replace Julen Lopetegui earlier this month. The German clashed with both Lopetegui and his predecessor David Moyes before outlasting both of them, but is unlikely to win another power battle with a third manager.
