Middlesbrough will be mightily relieved after West Ham offered a significant role to a key Newcastle man as the club continues a major restructure in the wake of relegation.
There have been several significant departures at West Ham of late – some more welcome than others.
Karren Brady and David Sullivan have departed, much to the delight of most Hammers supporters, but the club have also lost top scout Max Hahn.
Sullivan had been West Ham’s de facto director of football, Brady dealt with negotiations between clubs on transfers and Hahn had impressed with his work identifying signings.
Middlesbrough relief as West Ham turn attentions away from Scott
West Ham were already looking to appoint a director of football before the trio left the club.
Now that need has become even more acute.
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Middlesbrough's Kieran Scott has been linked…
And it appears progress is being made by West Ham – much to the delight of Championship rivals Middlesbrough and chagrin of Newcastle.
Because the Hammers have switched their attention away from Middlesbrough’s head of recruitment Kieran Scott and want Newcastle United’s Head of Recruitment, Steve Nickson instead.
West Ham have flitted between different recruitment setups over the last two decades.
There have been directors of football such as Gianluca Nani, Mario Husillos and Tim Steidten with Sullivan acting as the default director of football in between, alongside so-called heads of recruitment such as Rob Newman and Kyle Macaulay.
Hammers News reported last month on claims the Hammers want Scott from ‘Boro.
Newcastle’s key man Nickson offered more power at West Ham
A gauge of how valued Scott is on Teeside came when the local paper, the Northern Echo, published a plea to Middlesbrough to keep Scott from West Ham’s clutches.
Well Steve Gibson and Middlesbrough will be breathing a sigh of relief today because West Ham are planning to raid Newcastle for Nickson instead.
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The Chronicle claim West Ham want to lure Nickson, who has been credited with some of Newcastle’s best signings over the last decade, by giving him a much more significant role in east London.
At Newcastle, Nickson is head of recruitment, whereas the Hammers want to make him director of football with a much bigger remit as the club looks to completely change the way it operates and bounce back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
The report claims Nickson has a sporting director qualification and that Newcastle are ‘on red alert’ after learning of West Ham’s interest.
The Hammers are expected to try and move quickly given the summer transfer window officially opened today in England and the club must rebuild ready for a gruelling 46-game Championship campaign.
London life, a much more significant and important role and likely pay rise will be just some of the attractions for Nickson.
Not to mention the fresh challenge of helping restore West Ham to the top flight and eventually realise their untapped potential.
New West Ham majority owner Daniel Kretinsky has plugged the black hole in the club’s finances by purchasing an additional 16 per cent of the club.
The Czech multi-billionaire has also pledged to keep as many of West Ham’s top players as possible, fund Nuno Espirito Santo’s transfer war chest and return the club to the top flight.
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