Jose Mourinho is leaving Tim Steidten sweating on a West Ham United window disaster with a new transfer move.
Some West Ham fans are starting to get tetchy about a lack of progress on transfers.
The Hammers have made three of their planned eight signings this summer.
But progress on deals has slowed since the arrival of Max Kilman two-and-a-half weeks ago.
Now the new Premier League season is now just over three weeks away, the pressure is on.
Especially as new West Ham head coach Julen Lopetegui has made it clear he wants signings in the door sooner rather than later in order to work on how he wants his side to play.
Signing a striker is the top priority at the moment for technical director Tim Steidten.
But another centre-back, a left-sided attacker, a central midfielder and a versatile full-back is also on the agenda.
West Ham’s window progress slows
Given the fact the transfer window closes in under six weeks, Steidten’s reputation is on the line to get this rebuild right.
The German impressed last summer with the signings of Mohammed Kudus and Edson Alvarez.
But David Moyes resisted any of Steidten’s targets in January.
Now the former Bayer Leverkusen man has full control of all West Ham recruitment, the focus is solely on him.
It has very much been a case of ‘in Steidten we trust’ at the London Stadium so far.
Questions are starting to be asked, though, as a series of alleged targets evade West Ham’s clutches.
Steidten’s first move of the summer was for Corinthians winger Wesley Gassova. But it hit a brick wall when the Brazilian club demanded more money.
Mourinho leaving Steidten sweating on window disaster
West Ham then arranged a deal with Flamengo for defender Fabricio Bruno but it collapsed at the 11th hour.
The Hammers have baulked at fees for Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Callum Wilson and – in terms of £10m in agent fees – Jonathan David.
West Ham have also, thus far, resisted Aston Villa’s £35m asking price for Jhon Duran.
A bid for Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo was accepted but he snubbed the move as he wants to join Juventus.
What should, on paper, be straightforward moves for Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Kyle Walker-Peters have become increasingly protracted.
At the weekend top Lopetegui striker target Youssef En-Nesyri joined Jose Mourinho at Fenerbahce.
Now Mourinho is leaving Steidten sweating on West Ham window disaster with a new move.
Fenerbahce want second Hammers target
After initial talks went cold, West Ham reignited interest in Wesley recently.
But now journalist Rudy Galetti, a friend of Hammers News, and Brazilian reporter Valentin Furlan claim Fenerbahce have made a move for the Brazil Under 20 star.
The good news for West Ham is that for now Corinthians’ demands of £25m plus a percentage of any future sale are considered too high by Fener.
But the Turkish giants are trying to come to a compromise over the price amid ‘fierce competition’.
Mourinho is not deterred, though, and wants to be backed to secure Wesley ahead of the likes of West Ham.
West Ham want a new left-sided attacker for a number of reasons.
Lopetegui is reportedly planning to use Lucas Paqueta in a more central role.
But the uncertainty around Paqueta’s long-term future in football let alone at West Ham, is pushing the Hammers to ensure they are not left exposed.
If Mourinho’s pull denies Steidten of yet another top target, questions will, understandably, begin to be asked about his ability to get deals over the line working with the budget he has at West Ham.
The big difference for Steidten at West Ham is that almost every club he goes to for negotiations know Premier League sides have serious money compared to those in other leagues.
At Bayer Leverkusen that was not the case, making it easier – and cheaper – to pick off rising stars before they came on the radar of top clubs.
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