West Ham technical director Tim Steidten AXED after fall-out with two managers and £127.5m splurged on transfers
WEST HAM are finalising the exit of technical director Tim Steidten.
The German, who has clashed with two of the three Hammers managers he worked with, has been frozen out of the club's January business.
Steidten, 45, was banned from the club's Rush Green training ground by former boss Julen Lopetegui in December.
He was also barred from the first team changing room at the London Stadium by ex-gaffer David Moyes.
It would seem he fell out with both managers because he was openly working on their replacements while they were still in the dugout.
Chairman David Sullivan took more control of transfer business this month after being concerned by the level of signings in the summer.
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Steidten was part of the process when West Ham were considering replacements for Lopetegui before the Spaniard was dismissed on January 8.
West Ham, under Steidten's leadership, spent £127.5million, in the summer window but sit 14th in the Premier League table.
Steidten was appointed in the summer of 2023 and made responsible for West Ham’s player recruitment strategy and scouting department.
The statement confirming his arrival described the German as “one of the game’s most-admired football administrators”, having previously worked at Bayer Leverkusen and Werder Bremen.
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But Steidten helped bring in Mohammed Kudus, Edson Alvarez and Konstantinos Mavropanos in 2023.
But ahead of this season, West Ham recruited Max Kilman, Crysencio Summerville, Carlos Soler, Niclas Fullkrug, Luis Guilherme, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Jean-Clair Todibo, Guido Rodriguez and Wes Foderingham.
Steidten faced criticism from some quarters for the near £150million recruitment drive he led.
Fans also fumed at the decision to hire and fire Lopetegui within nine months.
The Mail revealed in October that the £25m signing of Brazilian teenager Luis Guilherme raised eyebrows internally.
Graham Potter is now in charge and the Englishman has been joined by his long-term head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay.
Macaulay, who worked at Brighton and Chelsea, has already taken on many of Steidten's duties but is not a direct replacement.
Macaulay is filling in the vacant post left by former head of recruitment Rob Newman who left last summer.
The Hammers have won just seven of their 22 games this season.
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