West Ham’s summer transfer business could scarcely have been envisaged before technical director, Tim Steidten, went on his wild spending spree.
Never before have the Hammers brought in so many new players of evident quality in the space of one window, but if the club were serious about moving forward, then it had to be the German and not David Moyes that won the power battle at the club.
West Ham worried by latest Fullkrug update
An extensive book of contacts has clearly served Steidten well, and the Hammers were certainly the beneficiaries of his acumen in the transfer market.
One new signing, however, has had a stuttering start to his career at the London Stadium.
Niclas Fullkrug came highly rated, but was firstly overlooked by Julen Lopetegui before an Achilles injury saw him sidelined.
Now it’s come to light that he’s a player that’s not really up for the fight, and that should worry fans and the board of the club.
“I spoke to Fulle before the Guirassy deal and told him that we would do something in this position and, like the coach, showed him the perspective,” Borussia Dortmund’s sporting director, Sebastien Kehl, was quoted as saying by Sport BILD.
“He then started to think that he would have been in a competitive situation that he himself did not want to acknowledge.”
Having a player that doesn’t want to earn his place in the side but would appear to expect it as a right, arguably isn’t the sort of character that would be popular in the West Ham dressing room.
Seemingly, Julen Lopetegui has another problem that needs sorting.
Top photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images