Three months ago you would have been laughed out of east London if you suggested Tim Steidten would be under pressure at West Ham.
Unfortunately for the Hammers technical director – and West Ham – that is exactly what’s happening.
When Carlos Soler arrived at West Ham on deadline day, nobody would have seen this situation unfolding.
The Spaniard signed on loan from PSG as the cherry on top of nine-signing summer rebuild with £155m spent.
He followed Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Jean-Clair Todibo, Max Kilman, Guido Rodriguez, Crysencio Summerville, Niclas Fullkrug, Luis Guilherme and Wes Foderingham in the door.
‘Magic’ Tim Steidten, who already had his own terrace chant after bringing Mohammed Kudus and Edson Alvarez to West Ham last summer, was hailed a hero.
Julen Lopetegui was tasked with getting his expensively assembled squad – already boasting Kudus and Jarrod Bowen – into Europe.
Many pundits, including the likes of Jamie Carragher, backed West Ham to do just that.
Nearly a third of the way into the season, though, the Irons are closer to the bottom of the Premier League table than the top six.
And pressure has fallen on Steidten.
Repentant Steidten working on sensational West Ham signing
That is of course the price on the ticket now he has taken full control of the football operation.
A journalist recently claimed Steidten’s job could be on the line.
It’s reported West Ham’s owners are not impressed by two of his signings in particular.
The midfield is stodgy with players who don’t complement one another well and the striker pool has a combined age of nearly 98.
To make matters worse for Steidten, Lopetegui even turned on him at the weekend.
The Hammers boss said he can’t implement his preferred style with the players he’s been given.
With money now tight after the big outlay, West Ham have made it clear players will have to be sold to help fund new arrivals.
All roads seem to point to Kudus, who has an £85m release clause active next summer and is attracting interest from Arsenal and Liverpool.
Now repentant Steidten is working on a sensational West Ham signing and it may redeem him.
Like Declan Rice before him, there is an air of inevitability that Kudus will leave at the end of the season.
He wants to be playing in Europe and it’s hard to argue a player of his talents shouldn’t be in the Champions League.
Stunning Pulisic move may redeem Steidten at West Ham
Steidten may change a few hearts and minds, though, with his reported plan to replace West Ham’s star boy.
According to Football 365, citing sources in abroad, West Ham’s technical director is working on a move to sign Christian Pulisic from AC Milan.
Pulisic can play anywhere across the front line including as the main striker.
The 26-year-old American has 10 goals and five assists in 23 games for club and country already this season.
That’s after scoring 15 goals and laying on six assists for Milan last term.
It’s claimed Pulisic ‘could be living his last moments at Milan’ after West Ham ‘turned their attentions’ to signing him.
A return to England, where Pulisic scored 26 goals in 145 games after struggling with injuries, is reported to be ‘something both the player and the clubs involved could be seriously considering’.
Pulisic has come into his own since being used as a second striker at Milan.
Former Bayer Leverkusen recruitment chief Steidten knows all about the player having watched him come through at Dortmund.
In fact the Hammers were actually linked with a move for Pulisic when Steidten first arrived in the summer of last year.
Having his electric pace around Fullkrug over the next few seasons could transform West Ham.
Milan are said to need money and West Ham will have plenty if and when Kudus is sold.
If Steidten is looking for some redemption, lining up a player of Pulisic’s quality to replace him is a good way to start.
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