Hammers News can exclusively reveal that West Ham technical director Tim Steidten is not putting his name to the appointment of Julen Lopetegui.
There is never a dull moment at West Ham United.
But after £155m was spent on nine new signings to start life under a new manager, that was expected to be in a positive rather than negative sense.
Instead just five games into the new Premier League season, new boss Julen Lopetegui already finds himself under pressure.
Hammers News exclusively revealed that West Ham’s top brass are not impressed with results, performances or the Jean-Clair Todibo situation.
The majority of Hammers fans know their new-look squad under a new head coach might be a work in progress for a time.
But seeing other managers at rival clubs stamp their mark quickly and effectively on their teams’ style play has some at West Ham questioning Lopetegui.
It has been a poor start to life in east London for the Spaniard.
Two wins, three defeats and a draw in all competitions is evidence of that.
Saturday’s dismal 3-0 drubbing by Chelsea meant West Ham have lost their first three home league games of a campaign for the first time in their 129-year history.
Lopetegui’s team selections and tactics have frustrated and bemused supporters in equal measure.
The 57-year-old has been savaged by the media and pundits.
Fans jeered his substitutions against Chelsea, booed the team off and then thousands left the London Stadium 20 minutes early.
Why Lopetegui is already under intense pressure at West Ham
Lopetegui has not had much of a honeymoon period at West Ham for a number of reasons.
The media were always going to be watching developments closely given how scathing assessment of West Ham was when they parted company with David Moyes.
The Hammers have then gone out and bought extremely well – on paper at least.
And – perhaps most importantly – Lopetegui was not the club’s first choice in the summer.
West Ham courted Ruben Amorim and held not-so-secret talks with the innovative, young Portuguese manager.
The prospect of appointing the Sporting box seriously excited Hammers fans.
But he ended up staying at Sporting and other “sexier” names were overlooked as West Ham plumped for Lopetegui when AC Milan pulled the plug on him becoming their new manager.
Some West Ham fans copied Milan’s Ultras by setting up an online petition against the appointment.
It seems they weren’t the only ones who didn’t want Lopetegui at the club, though.
Because Steidten warned David Sullivan not to appoint Lopetegui at West Ham.
Steidten warned Sullivan not to appoint Lopetegui at West Ham
Speaking to Hammers News, journalist Graeme Bailey has revealed Steidten is refusing to put his name to the Lopetegui hire.
The German was the one who finalised the deal but Bailey says he wanted a different style of manager to Moyes and Lopetegui.
Bailey also says Sullivan – who Hammers News revealed back in May was won over by Lopetegui – believes the ex Wolves, Sevilla and Spain boss can still come good.
“I understand that Tim Steidten helped finalise the deal for Lopetegui but it was NOT his call to bring him in, far from it,” Bailey told Hammers News.
“Steidten wanted to bring in a manager that he thought would suit the squad going forward, someone different to David Moyes and indeed Lopetegui.
“However, David Sullivan was won over by Lopetegui after they met back in April, and that was the deciding factor. Sullivan was warned by Steidten, and others within the club’s hierarchy, about the issues that could arise from appointing him.
“Unfortunately for West Ham things are not playing out as David Sullivan hoped, but he does believe that Lopetegui can and will come good.”
From separate sources Hammers News understands Sullivan’s relationship with agent Will Salthouse was key to the appointment of Lopetegui.
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