It is surely the beginning of the end for both Tim Steidten and Julen Lopetegui after huge breaking news from inside West Ham.
Julen Lopetegui has not been the only one under pressure at West Ham this season.
Technical director Tim Steidten has come in for major criticism too, despite being labelled a hero with his dealings in the last two summer windows.
There have been murmurings at West Ham that all is not well between Lopetegui and Steidten.
Hammers fans have heard that before after the messy end to David Moyes’ tenure which saw the Scot ban the German from being around the first team.
A journalist source told Hammers News at the weekend that West Ham are far from happy with Steidten.
And in a move which totally undermines the former Bayer Leverkusen man, it emerged that Lopetegui has had direct talks with majority owner David Sullivan about transfers.
That begged the big question over Steidten’s future given he is supposed to be in charge of the entire football operation and recruitment.
End nigh for Steidten and Lopetegui at West Ham
After the demoralising 5-0 defeat to Liverpool, Lopetegui is reportedly on the brink of being sacked.
Seriously tough away games against Man City and Villa will dictate Lopetegui’s future, it has been claimed.
If that is the case then the Spaniard is almost certainly doomed.
Especially in light of the awful news about West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen.
Now the end is nigh for Steidten and Lopetegui as Sullivan makes a monumental West Ham decision.
It is fair to say that ‘pearl diver’ Steidten has had something of a rollercoaster first 18 months at the club.
Steidten described his ‘euphoria’ assuming full control of West Ham’s football operation after the departure of Moyes.
He is probably one of the only technical directors in football for whom fans have their own chant.
‘Timmy Steidten’s magic’ has often been heard ringing out on concourses during Hammers matchdays.
It has been sung in appreciation of the German’s work getting Mohammed Kudus and Edson Alvarez to West Ham when he first arrived and the likes of Max Kilman, Jean-Clair Todibo, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Crysencio Summerville this summer.
The chant has not had too many airings this season, though, as West Ham struggle to live up to expectations.
Sullivan makes monumental West Ham decision
Steidten has been conspicuous by his absence on the touchline since being criticised by Lopetegui before the November international break.
Sullivan has been sitting alongside influential agent Will Salthouse in his box at West Ham.
Now Claret and Hugh has revealed that Sullivan has made what is arguably his biggest decision for 18 months.
Sullivan is known to be a source for the site.
And they have claimed Sullivan has taken the monumental decision to return to overseeing transfers with Steidten and the manager – be that Lopetegui or any imminent successor – only having an input.
“We’ll take input from both (the team’s manager and Steidten), but it’s not easy as money has been spent,” the source told the site.
“We now need to spend smarter and explore better deals and options.”
On the one hand this is encouraging as it suggests West Ham will be doing some much-needed January business.
But it clearly shows the owners feel the current structure simply is not working.
And with this level of mistrust, a parting of the ways is now surely inevitable and possibly imminent.
It comes after Hammers News exclusively revealed back on November 7th that two of West Ham’s summer deals had put Steidten’s job on the line.
Those being the decision – against the better judgement of the owners – to spend £20m on untested teenager Luis Guilherme and sign ageing, injury-prone striker Niclas Fullkrug for £26.5m.
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