West Ham have made a breakthrough in talks with Chelsea for what could be the club’s best signing for years.
The Hammers have been linked with a host of players from Chelsea in the January transfer window.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Ben Chilwell, Carney Chukwuemeka and Axel Disasi are just some of the Blues players reported to be in West Ham’s sights.
Now West Ham have agreed a deal with their London rivals for someone much more important long-term.
When the Hammers replaced Julen Lopetegui with former Chelsea boss Graham Potter, it was reported to be just the start of changes being made by the club.
Irons technical director Tim Steidten, who almost joined Chelsea when Thomas Tuchel was manager, is said to be next on the way out of the London Stadium exit.
There have been huge question marks over the man who oversaw West Ham’s squad composition.
Potter’s response to a blunt Steidten question was very revealing in his very first press conference.
West Ham agree deal with Chelsea
The new Hammers boss refused to mention Steidten by name but discussed his relations with David Sullivan, Karren Brady and Mark Noble in detail.
Ahead of the January window Sullivan demoted Steidten from having full control of West Ham’s recruitment and transfers.
Since then a top Hammers source has claimed Steidten is already 50 per cent gone at West Ham.
The same source stated West Ham were trying to bring recruitment guru Kyle Macaulay from Chelsea to be reunited with Potter.
West Ham’s owners are not happy with Steidten at all given what Potter has been left to work with to try and turn the club’s disastrous season around.
Now West Ham have agreed a deal with Chelsea and it promises to be the best signing for years.
Hammers capture promises to be the best signing for years
Telegraph journalist Matt Law has confirmed that the Hammers have agreed a compensation figure which will see Macaulay, 38, reunited with his former boss Potter.
Crucially it has been confirmed that Macauley, who has worked with Potter at all his clubs, will be leading recruitment policy at London Stadium.
Although the Scot will carry out a different role, it is very much being seen as the writing on the wall for Steidten.
Especially with talk that Dan Ashworth could ultimately replace the German to reunited him with Potter and Macauley.
Law claims Macaulay pushed to join Potter at West Ham and paperwork is being finalised ahead of official confirmation this week.
It is also stated that Macaulay could now play a key role in West Ham’s January window business.
The way the pair work together has been explained too.
‘Macauley will lead West Ham recruitment policy’
Law says Potter asks Macaulay to draw up reports on all transfer targets before giving his own opinion on whether or not they should be signed.
But Macauley is not the man who is ultimately tasked to then go out and get the deals done.
That is a very different skill set – one Steidten has a proven track record in whatever one’s opinion of the actual deals themselves.
So there may be a place for Steidten at West Ham yet. Certainly until the end of the season or until someone who can replace him in that role – like free agent Ashworth – can be brought in.
Macauley is very highly regarded across football and Chelsea did not want him to leave.
This is a coup for the Hammers, made possible by Potter’s arrival.
With such a big focus on West Ham’s poor recruitment, snaring someone of Macauley’s reputation and talent to turn that on its head means he could prove to be the best signing in years.
Hammers fans will now be hoping he can make an instant impact to breathe some life into the current campaign.
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