Tim Steidten jets out as West Ham United want double new transfer
West Ham technical director Tim Steidten has jetted to Brazil to complete two new transfers, according to The Evening Standard.
The newspaper has reported that the German’s main task will be to finalise the signing of Flamengo centre-back Fabricio Bruno, as well as young Corinthians winger Wesley Gassova.
Bruno is on the verge of becoming the first signing under Julen Lopetegui, with the Hammers set to play £12.5million up front and an additional £2.5million in add-ons.
19-year-old Wesley is another player who has been on the Irons’ radar for some time, and if Steidten can return from South America with both targets in tow, it’ll be a successful start to summer business.
West Ham wasting no time in Lopetegui rebuild
Lopetegui’s arrival through the London Stadium door was only confirmed last week (23 May), but he and the Hammers hierarchy are well underway in identifying and pursuing his top transfer targets.
Before he’d even been confirmed as the club’s new head coach, the Spaniard had already drawn up a list of six positions he felt needed strengthening most ahead of the summer transfer window.
Central defence has been the priority amongst these targets, with the singing of Bruno seemingly imminent and other players, such as Lopetegui’s former Wolves captain Max Kilman, also in the Irons’ sights.
The explosion onto the scene of players like Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus will undoubtedly attract several suitors this summer, thus adding to the Hammers’ depth out wide in the form of Wesley also appears to be a sensible move.
If Steidten does manage to secure the signatures of both players within the next few days, it’ll send a clear statement of intent to the rest of the Premier League that under Lopetegui, West Ham are building a squad capable of challenging for the top six.
In other West Ham news, the club have been encouraged to follow in the footsteps of Arsenal’s “unbelievable” transfer policy.
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