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West Ham United technical director Tim Steidten has a “main focus” for the January transfer window as he eyes reinforcements for manager David Moyes.
West Ham transfer targets for January
Reports suggest that Irons head coach is under mounting pressure heading into 2024. The Scotsman’s contract expires at the end of the Premier League season, and Moyes is apparently “unlikely” to stay at West Ham beyond then.
However, in the mean time, West Ham have much of the season left to play and remain fighting in multiple cup competitions. The east Londoners took a big stride towards the knockout rounds of the Europa League on Thursday with a 1-0 win over Olympiacos, while Liverpool await them in the EFL Cup quarter-finals next month.
Their league form does need drastic improvement, though, coming after they spent most of last season battling relegation.
One area of the squad in serious need of shoring up is the striker position, with Gianluca Scamacca departing for Atalanta in the summer and Michail Antonio forced to play a starting role week in, week out.
Danny Ings doesn’t appear to be favoured by Moyes either, leading to their apparent interest in signing the likes of Adam Hlozek of Bayer Leverkusen and Stuttgart star Serhou Guirassy.
West Ham are reportedly keen on a centre-back, like Man United’s Harry Maguire, and a left-back given Aaron Cresswell looks set to leave on a free next summer.
ExWHUemployee shares “main focus” for Steidten
Technical director Steidten, who is tasked with overseeing transfers at the club alongside Moyes, is apparently growing his influence at the London Stadium and has even turned David Sullivan’s head.
The former Leverkusen chief joined in the summer as part of a restructure, having also been courted by top Premier League sides like Liverpool and Man United.
That is according to reliable club insider ExWHUemployee, who quashed rumours of a potentially imminent departure Moyes while sharing Steidten’s “main focus” of the January window.
Indeed, the German former footballer is apparently desperate to bring a striker to West Ham.
“Tim Steidten’s role at the club has grown in seniority since his arrival,” stated Ex on Patreon (via West Ham Way).
“His knowledge, targets and dealings have really impressed Sullivan, who now fully trusts Tim as his right-hand-man. This will almost certainly mean that Steidten will be leading the search for our next manager in the future. However, its understood his main focus for now is player contracts and January recruitment – with a striker top of the list.”
West Ham have also been urged to sign a striker by talkSPORT pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor, who says Moyes is simply “crying out” for a new number nine.
“I think Michail Antonio was poor in the game against Villa. He’s not scoring enough goals. Villa have got Watkins, but by comparison, West Ham are missing firepower,” said Agbonlahor to Football Insider.
“They’re relying on Danny Ings and Antonio. Kudus is a good player, and so are Paqueta, Bowen, Benrahma. But they’re missing a clinical striker down the middle. That’s what West Ham, and a couple of other clubs, are crying out for.”
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