David Sullivan has come under fire with a club branding the West Ham chief ‘useless’ following a late bid for one of their stars.
The scathing criticism adds to the growing frustration surrounding the Hammers’ transfer dealings this summer.
David Sullivan has reprised his role as West Ham’s de facto director of football following the sacking of Tim Steidten.
Sullivan is essentially the man who will be doing the club’s transfer dealings after West Ham ruled out appointing a replacement for Steidten.
Head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay is more involved with target identification than deal-making.
Sullivan back at the West Ham transfer wheel
Sullivan believes he has chosen better signings for West Ham than the likes of Steidten, Rob Newman and Mario Husillos in the past.
But West Ham fans are concerned his involvement in transfers will see the return of the scattergun approach the club became notorious for in the years prior to Steidten.
On the flip side, Steidten – for all his supposed expertise as a technical director – has left West Ham’s squad in a terrible state.
It is a collection of ageing players lacking in dynamism and very few with any real sell-on value.
Graham Potter wants to address that this summer transfer window by lowering the age of the squad and drastically changing the profile of player being brought to the London Stadium.
A midfield rebuild is Potter’s top priority.
The club has been linked with a host of younger, athletic talents from Morten Frendup to Ardon Jashari, Raphael Onyedika, Mamady Diambou and Mario Stroeykens.
However, another midfielder who fits that profile has been the subject of an offer from the Hammers as well.
Sullivan branded ‘useless’ after West Ham’s offer for powerhouse
But Sullivan has been branded ‘useless’ by a club after West Ham’s late offer for a 22-year-old powerhouse.
It is fair to say Sullivan has a chequered past when it comes to transfer dealings and negotiations.
He was savaged by Sporting Lisbon over an infamous move for William Carvalho.
Sullivan and former co-owner David Gold were branded the ‘D—- Brothers’ – which former Hammers manager Slaven Bilic admitted even he found funny.
Outspoken former Palace owner Simon Jordan once accused Sullivan of ‘phantom bids and faux ambition’ after West Ham made a joint move for then Leeds duo Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha.
Now AC Milan have slammed the Hammers chief after he made a futile offer for USA international Yunus Musah.
West Ham were actually in for Musah back in 2023 – missing out to the Italian giants when he left Valencia.
The fact the Hammers made a new move proves Sullivan is in charge of transfers.
Although it must be said the powerful and energetic Musah does fit the profile of player Potter wants too.
Now leading Italian newspaper la Repubblica has claimed AC Milan have described West Ham’s hierarchy as ‘useless’ after a futile offer for Musah when it emerged he was moving to champions Napoli.
Return of phantom bids and faux ambition at West Ham?
On one hand Hammers fans will be enthused the club are looking at players like Musah for Potter’s rebuild.
But the disdain other clubs seem to have for the Hammers in transfer dealings is extremely worrying.
Quite why West Ham even bothered to make an offer when they continue to insist they can’t buy until they sell, is anyone’s guess.
Of course the reports of a bid from the Hammers may not be entirely accurate.
It seems a rather strange rumour to invent in Italy, though, where Sullivan’s transfer dealings and reputation will not be well known.
The pressure is on West Ham this summer and they can’t afford to get it wrong.
But so far nothing seems to be going right.
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