West Ham’s dysfunction is not something out of the ordinary. However, the annoyance lies in the fact that the introduction of a technical director was meant to bolster recruitment. Upon Tim Steidten’s appointment, which came shortly after West Ham’s victory in the Europa Conference League final in 2023, expectations were high.
Images of an exultant Steidten sitting beside high-profile new recruits on private planes started to circulate regularly. This quickly made him a popular figure on social media, particularly amongst large account holders who were eager to praise the German for his efforts. However, the necessity of such behaviour was ambiguous. The ultimate judgement, as West Ham discovered through a calamitous start to the season, is deliverance of transfer results.
This is beyond a simple “be careful what you wish for” scenario directed at fans following the departure of David Moyes last summer. While Moyes’ exit was welcomed, it threw Steidten directly under the lens. It was known that Moyes and Steidten did not align on transfer decisions. The relationship quickly fell apart, leading to Moyes barring Steidten from the first-team dressing room last season.
Regardless, Moyes still departed with Julen Lopetegui replacing him and a significant squad overhaul planned. Steidten, who had expanded the recruitment team, including his brother, Moritz, took charge. Despite certain sources questioning Steidten’s level of influence at his previous tenure in Bayer Leverkusen, the consensus was that West Ham had a successful future ahead.
However, West Ham declined to match asking prices. Instead of pursuing the young Colombian scorer, Steidten returned to the familiar Bundesliga market and recruited 31-year-old Niclas Füllkrug from Borussia Dortmund for a sum of £27.5 million. So far, Füllkrug, who has no resale value, has been plagued by injuries and yet to score. This means West Ham will still be dependant on Antonio for the upcoming Manchester United match on Sunday.
The situation at West Ham is certainly comical, matched only by the predicament of their unwieldy midfield. One might wonder if it comes as a shock to them that the Premier League represents the pinnacle of cutthroat competition globally? The flaws were plain to see last season. With Tomas Soucek showing signs of sluggishness, James Ward-Prowse (a Moyes favourite) lacking vigour, and Edson Álvarez attracting yellow cards like a magnet since his transfer from Ajax, their response fell short. Guido Rodríguez, brought in on a free transfer, had to be substituted during the first half of last month’s 3-0 loss to Chelsea and was visibly struggled in a partnership with Soucek in potential defeat at Tottenham the previous Saturday.
Lopetegui’s decision to bring in Rodríguez was a clear mistake. The culpability is widespread, with the manager also championing Carlos Soler, formerly of Paris Saint-Germain’s reserves, to come on loan. However, it remains unclear why the Spanish player has been chosen over Ward-Prowse, who provided goals and threatening set pieces until his move to Nottingham Forest.
The blunders appear to be infinite. Lopetegui mistakenly assigned Álvarez to track the speedy Nicolas Jackson during the Chelsea match. Aaron Wan‑Bissaka, acquired from Manchester United, has often been caught out of his right-back position. Meanwhile, Steidten spent a whopping £25 million on Luis Guilherme, an 18-year-old prospect from Brazil, ignoring the evident gaps in the squad. A disastrous decision was spending £19 million to secure Konstantinos Mavropanos from VfB Stuttgart, especially since it’s no shock that the Greek defender has been bumped out by Jean-Clair Todibo, a loanee from Nice.
Granted, Todibo is a capable player. And yet, the rate at which West Ham is conceding goals is troubling. It’s worth noting that Todibo would potentially have moved to Juventus had they been capable of affording him.
The current climate at the club is far from joyous. There’s a clear lack of identity under Lopetegui’s leadership, and Mohammed Kudus’s hotheadedness only earned him a red card in the clash against Spurs. On top of that, he’s clearly struggling, with a heated altercation with Lopetegui following his substitution at half-time against Brentford.
The unsettling environment surrounding Lopetegui is demanding for Crysencio Summerville to shine amidst Kudus’s unavailability. The 22-year-old former Championship star attacker, who joined from Leeds, has not been privileged with many playing instances yet. Apart from him, more team members should elevate their performances too. There are ongoing rumours regarding Lopetegui’s apprehensions about his squad’s attitude under the increasing pressure. The focus of Lucas Paquetá is in question following charges against him for breaching betting rules, despite his denial of any misconduct.
There are stark demands for a revival and it remains in question whether Lopetegui holds the capability to motivate his team. It’s becoming a cause for worry amongst the board members as apparent differring responsibilities pave their way. Notably, Steidten played a significant role in introducing Lopetegui to West Ham’s majority shareholder, David Sullivan. However, German reports indicating former Dortmund manager Edin Terzic as a probable replacement for Lopetegui, in case the results continue to underperform, are adding fuel to the already unstable atmosphere.
Steidten came out victorious in his rift with Moyes and bagged the power and backing. With over £100 million under his supervision for expenditures, there shan’t be room for any complaints if queries start arising about Lopetegui’s job security.