West Ham United: Pundit stunned as Tim Steidten update emerges at London Stadium
Frank McAvennie admits he will be stunned if West Ham technical director Tim Steidten leaves all the good work he’s already started at the London Stadium behind so soon.
Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg reported on 31 January that Steidten is a candidate to become Liverpool’s next sporting director after the announcement that Jorg Schmadtke will leave his post at Anfield.
When Jurgen Klopp revealed he would be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season, the Merseyside club began their plans for the future, with Steidten mooted as an option for a role upstairs.
In an update shared by the Daily Mail‘s online edition [31 January], it is claimed via sources close to the club that Steidten is not entirely happy at the London Stadium and could be tempted by a move elsewhere.
Daily Mail went on to report on 5 February that Steidten would find it very difficult to turn down a move to an elite club like Liverpool, should they come calling.
Speaking to West Ham Zone, McAvennie said: “What?! Listen, there’s been rumours of discontent and friction between him and Moyes in the past and if David is staying then, I can’t see why he won’t be tempted by Liverpool.
“Any decision will certainly rest on what David Sullivan feels and of course Moyes’ future at the club but I’d be stunned if he is so quick to leave given the work he’s already started.
“Bringing in Mohammed Kudus, James Ward-Prowse, Edson Alvarez and now Kalvin Phillips has been excellent business by him and the club and it would be a blow to see him leave now.
“However, any senior figure like Steidten would be tempted by Liverpool so it will be hard for him to turn it down, of course.”
Liverpool temptation
Whether Hammers fans like it or not, a move to Liverpool represents a sizeable step up from West Ham, and Steidten would be silly not to at least consider it if he believed it could be on the table for him.
The former Bayer Leverkusen chief has been credited with finding deals for the likes of Alvarez and Kudus since his arrival in East London ahead of the summer transfer window following the work he did in Germany previously.
Steidten is highly regarded within the game on the continent and it is of no surprise to see him linked with the Liverpool role given the upcoming changes at Anfield this summer and they will need an experienced head to kickstart the post-Klopp era.
However, there’s also a case to argue that Steidten may not be so quick to leave the tremendous work he’s doing at the London Stadium and there remains the issue of Moyes’ future to be sorted out.
Any rumours of friction between the two were put to bed when both he and Moyes were spotted undergoing a stimulating chat on the touchline before their 1-1 draw with Bournemouth last week, so things are looking promising behind the scenes.
Whether he’d want to leave that right now, looks unlikely but you never know in football.
In other West Ham news, a Hammers exit deal broke down after an offer was made, with a manager rejection detailed.
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