Tim Steidten is not a particularly popular figure among West Ham United fans. But how would his reputation look had he succeeded in bringing Norway’s World Cup whizzkid Antonio Nusa to the London Stadium?
It’s not all about Erling Haaland, you know.
The Terminator-like targetman with the Targaryen hairdo gleefully tapped in a 60th goal in 53 Norway caps to break Ivorian hearts at the Dallas Stadium. And yes, before you ask, those statistics are the right way around.
How will Summerville’s future be impacted by his World Cup performances? 🇳🇱
He leaves with 2 goals and 2 assists! ⚽ ⚽
But while Haaland scored the most important goal of the game, he did not score the best one.
That is a battle between Manchester United’s Amad Diallo – a weaving solo effort to bring a pulsating round-of-32 tie level – and Antonio Nusa; a winger former technical director Tim Steidten ‘would have liked to bring’ to West Ham United.
Tim Steidten confirmed his desire to sign RB Leipzig’s Antonio Nusa for West Ham United
Steidten confirmed his admiration for Nusa in an interview with Sky Germany in 2025.
“To be honest, I would have liked to bring him to West Ham myself,” Steidten said of a youngster who joined RB Leipzig from Club Brugge for around £17 million two years ago.
“When he’s fit, he has enormous potential and is an outstanding player.”
You usually have to tune into Norway’s matches to see Nusa’s ‘enormous potential’ at its fullest. After all, he has scored as many goals for his country since the start of 2025/26 as he has in the Bundesliga for RB Leipzig.
A classic ‘better for his country than his club’ sort of player.
Cutting inside from the left, he would whip a glorious finish into the top corner of the Ivory Coast net on Tuesday afternoon. A sublime strike on the biggest stage of all, and one reminiscent of the goal which capped a barnstorming performance in a 3-0 battering of Italy in the World Cup qualifiers.
As for why Steidten would not bring Nusa to England, the now-Koln chief would not elaborate. In his defence, though, the signing of Crysencio Summerville would prove to be one of Steidten’s biggest successes in a West Ham spell characterised more by big-money misses.
Crysencio Summerville is still a few steps ahead of Norway’s Nusa
Summerville exited the World Cup at the round-of-32 stage after Morocco’s goalkeeping colossus swatted away his penalty in this week’s shoot-out. However, with two goals and two assists at the tournament, Summerville still outperformed Nusa, even if the latter would out-last him across the Atlantic.
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Manchester United are pursuing Summerville after missing out on a deal for his teammate, Mateus Fernandes. Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain are lurking in the shadows, too, alongside Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.
After West Ham extracted £85 million out of Spurs for the twice-relegated Fernandes, Summerville’s £50 million price-tag could easily be driven up by a bidding war among clubs on both sides of the English Channel.
Antonio Nusa is some talent. Yet, while his ‘enormous potential’ remains visible only in thrilling flashes – like his sensational opener in Norway’s 2-1 victory over the Ivory Coast – Summerville is fast developing the ruthlessness and consistency demonstrated by truly elite wideman.
Following the completion of his £30 million move from Leeds two summers ago, Steidten spoke glowingly about Summerville’s ‘blistering pace, agile movement, and an abundance of creativity off the wing’.
He also mentioned Summerville’s past experience in the Premier League; something Nusa could not match.
Two years on, as Nusa showcases his talents on the biggest stage in football, you’d struggle to find many West Ham fans who would swap him for their swashbuckling number seven.
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