Tim Steidten believed West Ham was a five-year project but he has now left the club just 18 months into it.
West Ham officially announced Tim Steidten has left the club following the closure of the winter transfer window.
In reality Steidten left the Hammers weeks ago after having his access to club premises and computer systems revoked.
Demoted ahead of the window as David Sullivan took back control of transfer deals, Julen Lopetegui was sacked and the German would soon follow.
As David Moyes departed, Steidten declared his euphoria at having total control of West Ham’s football operation at the end of last season.
The ex Bayer Leverkusen man went on record to say West Ham would be a five-year project.
But after just one transfer window in “full control” the technical director has been shipped out – replaced by Graham Potter’s new head of recruitment Kyle Macauley.
It has been clear for all to see that the summer rebuild has not worked out for West Ham.
Ultimately it has cost West Ham £155m and both Lopetegui and Steidten their jobs.
Every Steidten West Ham signing rated
West Ham made it clear Steidten was in charge of that rebuild when announcing his departure.
Reports have emerged he feels ‘relieved’ to be leaving the club.
Steidten went from hero to villain and back again in the space of just 18 months.
Hailed for his captures of Mohammed Kudus and Edson Alvarez within weeks of arriving in east London, fans even had their own song for Steidten.
But his tenure went from magic to tragic in the eyes of many fans and clearly West Ham’s owners too.
Credited with laying the foundations for the astonishing rise of Bayer Leverkusen, Hammers fans were excited about the future.
As time wore on, though, it became increasingly clear Leverkusen’s success was actually largely down to their sporting director Simon Rolfe.
Alongside Lopetegui, Steidten promised to sign young, exciting players as part of a new-look West Ham.
The reality was they took the Premier League’s oldest squad and made it THE oldest.
Many feel it has set the Hammers back years.
But has it really been that bad? And what will Steidten’s West Ham legacy look like in time?
Every Steidten West Ham signing rated as the controversial dealmaker exits.
Controversial dealmaker exits but what is Steidten’s West Ham legacy?
Not every West Ham signing since Steidten’s arrival in July 2023 can be put solely down to him.
At that time Moyes still had power of veto on all West Ham transfers, as per the terms of his contract.
And although he took full control last summer, it is believed some signings were led by Lopetegui and others by Sullivan.
For argument’s sake, though, we will analyse every new arrival since Steidten was appointed in the interests of balance.
Whatever your stance on Steidten, one thing is clear. He got deals done.
The Hammers clearly struggled on that front without him in the winter window.
Although Potter has insisted he resisted making signings for the sake of it.
In total West Ham made 15 signings during Steidten’s time at the club.
Mohammed Kudus
This was a real coup for West Ham. There are claims the Ajax star was already on West Ham’s radar. There’s even talk Mark Noble was the one who originally suggested the move before Steidten’s arrival. But Steidten still got the deal done for Ajax’s best player at a bargain £38.5m. Amid interest from Chelsea, Arsenal and Brighton, that was no mean feat. Kudus was a revelation in his debut season for the Hammers. He – like the team – has struggled this term. Kudus is expected to depart in the summer. Although it seems increasingly unlikely anyone – other than perhaps a Saudi club – will trigger his £85m release clause, West Ham will still make a healthy profit on any deal. You would expect Kudus to go for at least £70m – almost double the original investment. So as a signing, it’s a great deal by Steidten whatever way you look at it. 8.5/10.
Edson Alvarez
As with Kudus, there are rumours his Ajax teammate Edson Alvarez was already on West Ham’s radar. Again it was Steidten who got the deal done, though. The Mexican looked a steal at £34m as one of the replacements for Declan Rice. After an excellent first half of his debut season, Alvarez – like the team – tailed off badly at the start of 2024. He has never really recovered and has been regularly linked with moves away – which he does little to discourage publicly. Painfully slow across the ground at times, Alvarez struggles with the pace of the Premier League. That shows in the number of times he’s been booked and is subbed off early. There have been glimpses of a return to better form under Potter. But West Ham will struggle to get their original outlay back for Alvarez if he is sold. This rating really depends on how the next few months pan out for the midfielder at West Ham. 6/10.
James Ward-Prowse
It seems almost pointless to rate James Ward-Prowse as a Steidten signing. It is widely known that Moyes pushed for the set-piece specialist while the technical director had eyes on other options such as France’s Youssouf Fofana. Ward-Prowse did not come cheap at £30m. But he had a productive debut season providing 18 goals and assists. However, his contribution in open play was questioned along with his lack of dynamism. Loaned out to Forest, the same criticisms were levelled as Ward-Prowse played just five games. Now back at West Ham, it will be interesting to see if Potter uses him and how. Jury remains out but it’s hard to see Ward-Prowse playing regularly long-term – especially if the Hammers go out and get the powerful young box-to-box midfielder most people believe is sorely needed in the summer. 6/10.
Konstantinos Mavropanos
Big Greek defender Konstantinos Mavropanos is something of an enigma. A towering, powerfully built and pretty quick centre-back, he should have all the attributes to be a top Premier League defender and West Ham cult hero. Decent on the ball, Mavropanos was known for his lung-busting surging runs up the pitch during his time at Stuttgart. But the vast gulf between Bundesliga and the Premier League has seen Mavropanos struggle. The error-prone defender seems to make a mistake per game for West Ham. For such a big, strong man he also seems to have a low pain threshold, spending far too much time on the floor. The fact Potter chose to play Vladimir Coufal over him at centre-back speaks volumes. At £17.5m, this looks like a poor deal from Steidten. The Hammers would probably struggle to get £10m when they inevitably look to sell him in the summer. 3/10.
Kalvin Phillips
Another rather pointless one as it is well known that Moyes demanded the disastrous deal for Kalvin Phillips last January. Thankfully for West Ham it was just a loan with no obligation to buy. If he wasn’t gifting goals to the opposition, or injured, Phillips was swearing at his own fans in this debacle of a move. It signalled the start of the breakdown in relations between Moyes and Steidten. And really it was the beginning of West Ham’s fall from grace at the start of 2024, which Potter must now try to arrest. This one was on Moyes but it came on Steidten’s watch. One of the worst signings in West Ham’s history. 0/10.
Andy Irving
Steidten led a deal which saw West Ham pay a reported £1.5m for Andy Irving as part of a feeder club partnership. There was an air of mystery and an element of the bizarre surrounding the 24-year-old central midfielder at West Ham in the summer. It perhaps sums up Steidten’s attempt at a rebuild that Irving has emerged as a first team squad regular. But while the deal has been mocked by some, Irving has actually impressed Potter, is loved by his teammates and fans and is something of a West Ham cult hero. Irving made his first Premier League start at Chelsea and held his own. West Ham fans love an underdog story and this is certainly one. At just £1.5m, the Irving deal looks like being a success. 7/10.
Max Kilman
West Ham were accused of overpaying for Max Kilman when they signed him from Wolves for £40m in the summer. It has since been claimed that Steidten was among those who felt that was too much for the most expensive defender signing in West Ham’s history. Kilman has, on the whole, been excellent, though. That’s despite the shambolic tenure of Lopetegui. At the end of the day signing a Premier League rival’s captain in what should be their peak years is always going to be expensive. Especially with the “English tax” added. Kilman is already showing signs he would be a real star under Potter. So whether Steidten wanted him or not he got the deal done and it looks a good one. 8/10.
Cyrsencio Summerville
Another transfer where Steidten’s involvement is questionable is Crysencio Summerville. At 22 and the best player in the Championship, Summerville was exactly the kind of profile of player West Ham fans expected to see the club target in their rebuild. But it is a deal rumoured to have been led by Sullivan. As with the others, though, it came on Steidten’s watch as technical director. Lopetegui didn’t rate Summerville, much to the anger of West Ham fans who could clearly see his quality. The Dutch winger was brilliant in Potter’s first game. But he pulled up injured and has since suffered a setback ruling him out for two months. Long-term this looks a fantastic capture and real bargain at £26m. It’s just a shame he was criminally under-used by Lopetegui and is now injured. Summerville has a big future under Potter, though. 9/10.
Niclas Fullkrug
One of the transfers that led to Steidten’s departure was that of his compatriot Niclas Fullkrug. West Ham fans questioned the wisdom of signing an ageing forward who lacked pace and had a lengthy history of serious injuries. Especially when a deal was there to be done for Jhon Duran at £45m in the summer. West Ham gave Steidten a budget of £45m for a forward. But he chose to spread it across the signings of £26.5m Fullkrug and untested Brazilian teenager Luis Guilherme at £20m. Fullkrug has been a disaster. Fears over his injury record have proved well founded. Steidten has apparently admitted since that the signing was a mistake. The Germany forward was out from September to December injured. Then he picked up another three-month injury in his first game under Potter. Word is Fullkrug was going to be sold in January until his injury put paid to that plan. 1/10.
Luis Guilherme
Had this piece been written a week ago, Luis Guilherme would likely have received a very low score. But fans believe something clicked when the young Brazilian came on at Chelsea. Guilherme has hardly kicked a ball in anger for West Ham since arriving from Palmeiras as Steidten’s first signing of the summer. Brief cameos every now and then showed Guilherme in a poor light. He has looked like a rabbit in the headlights at times. It was more of the same when he came on at Stamford Bridge. His attempt to take on Marc Cucurella saw Guilherme easily dealt with and social media was flooded with cries of ‘fake footballer’. Guilherme’s angry reaction to that moment with Cucurella could be the turning point for the 18-year-old, though. He seemed to have a renewed determination after that and put in a fantastic performance full of desire, running and energy. It was Guilherme who almost created an equaliser for the Hammers in what was his best showing yet. Suddenly Steidten’s big gamble from Brazil doesn’t seem like the costly mistake it was painted out to be. A tentative 6.5-7/10.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Again, word is Aaron Wan-Bissaka was a Sullivan or Lopetegui pick. But again it was on Steidten’s watch. And it was the German who cleverly went after Man United target Noussair Mazraoui in order to force the Red Devils to sell Wan-Bissaka to West Ham for just £15m. The defender has been absolutely fantastic and arguably the best signing of the summer. In terms of value for money, age, what he brings to the team, performances and consistency so far, Wan-Bissaka will take some beating. And he has looked even better under Potter thus far. 10/10.
Guido Rodriguez
Lopetegui allegedly pushed to sign Guido Rodriguez on a free from Real Betis. But Steidten allowed it to happen so he must shoulder the blame. Even on a free West Ham look to have overpaid for the Argentine. He lacks the mobility or power to be an effective midfielder in the Premier League. Reportedly wanted out in January but West Ham put him on sizeable wages and that has put Spanish clubs off. With Potter preferring the likes of Alvarez, Irving and even young Lewis Orford, Rodriguez will be one of the first out in the summer. The only saving grace on this deal is that it was a free transfer. 1/10.
Wes Foderingham
Wes Foderingham arrived on a free, ticks a homegrown player box for West Ham and gives the club an experienced third choice goalkeeper. Not a lot wrong with this deal all things considered. Smart business even if it has little impact on the actual team. 7/10.
Jean-Clair Todibo
The signing of Jean-Clair Todibo looked like the jewel in the crown of the summer splurge. UEFA stopped him joining Man United and then the French defender looked destined for Juventus. Steidten showed what he was good at again by jetting out to Nice for talks and persuaded Todibo to join West Ham. His loan with obligation to buy at £32m was triggered after five Premier League starts – providing the club aren’t relegated. It’s a sizeable sum but Todibo is at a good age and there are hopes his hot and cold performances will catch fire under Potter. Persistent rumours of a move away suggest the player may not be entirely happy in east London. Injuries and a bust-up with Lopetegui have limited his game time. If he does stay beyond the summer then the jury is very much still out. But the potential is high. 6.5/10 so far – but that could be much higher a year from now.
Carlos Soler
Another pushed for by Lopetegui was Carlos Soler. But Steidten got a good deal out of PSG whereby West Ham only have to pay a fraction of his £240k per week wages. Soler has been a big hit with fans and is well-liked by Potter. He has embraced London life and has impressed with some of his performances. His future is unclear beyond this season. But he has been a positive overall. 7/10.
In total the signings made during Steidten’s time as technical director score 86.5/150.
Taking that as an average, his signings rank at 5.7/10 each.
Wan-Bissaka comes out as the best while Phillips is the worst.
Although of the deals indisputably led by Steidten, Fullkrug and Rodriguez are the worst with Summerville, Kudus and Kilman the best.
Although Steidten’s true Hammers legacy could well be dictated by how much West Ham fetch for Kudus and how things pan out long-term for Todibo and Guilherme.
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