Tim Steidten has only been in his new job for a few days, but the former West Ham United director is already deep in talks with a Premier League club regarding a £30 million summer transfer.
Ex-Bayer Leverkusen and Werder Bremen talentspotter Steidten was appointed at Bundesliga strugglers FC Koln earlier this month.
In his new role as the squad planner at the Cathedral City club, one of Tim Steidten’s first tasks will be to negotiate the likely sale of prized asset Said El Mala.
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The German was at West Ham United when the £105 million sale of Declan Rice to Arsenal was completed in 2023. He is now expected to oversee another record-breaking departure.
And while Steidten’s reputation is decidedly mixed among the Hammers supporters, he could reclaim a few brownie points by ensuring that El Mala – one of the brightest young forwards in Germany – does not end up starring in the deep blue of hated rivals Chelsea.
Former West Ham United director expected to sell Koln’s Said El Mala to Brighton
Sport BILD say that Chelsea have been in touch with Steidten in the last few weeks to reaffirm their commitment to bringing El Mala to Stamford Bridge.
But all the signs point towards Brighton and Hove Albion making El Mala their latest fresh-faced wonderkid to arrive at the Amex from mainland Europe.
BILD add that Fabian Hurzeler’s side have already made a series of bids for the 19-year-old, and are planning one final take-it-or-leave-it offer of £30 million. The gut feeling is that Koln will opt to take it.
Brighton are hoping to enter ‘final talks’ in the coming days. The Seagulls have an important advantage over Chelsea, too. They are willing to bring El Mala’s older brother, Malek, across the Channel and, furthermore, Sabrina El Mala – the sibling’s mother and advisor – has given Brighton her ‘go-ahead’.
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Steidten had a mixed track record at the London Stadium
One year after leaving the London Stadium, the Tim Steidten era is threatening to age pretty nicely. OK, Niclas Fullkrug was a £27 million misstep, while Luis Guilherme never lived up to Steidten’s lofty expectations.
Yet, big-money acquisitions such as Crysencio Summerville, Jean-Clair Todibo and Konstantinos Mavropanos have all come on leaps and bounds under Nuno Espirito Santo. Steidten masterminded the £500,000 signing of Mohamadou Kante, as well. A midfielder who, if his first season in the capital is anything to go by, could be one of the best pound-for-pound investments in recent memory.
Still, the complaint made by many supporters is that Steidten largely bungled the Declan Rice succession plan. Then again, as The Athletic point out, it was David Moyes who pushed for the £30 million addition of James Ward-Prowse in that very same summer.
The Hammers may be watching with interest, then, as Steidten faces rebuilding another squad in the aftermath of a record-breaking sale.
Still only 19, El Mala is considered a dark horse for Germany’s World Cup squad. The Brighton-bound Chelsea target has scored 10 goals in 13 Bundesliga starts for a side hovering nervously above the relegation zone.
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