West Ham technical director Tim Steidten LEAVES the club just weeks after Graham Potter’s arrival – with huge scrutiny facing Hammers’ chief following £130m summer spree

West Ham have confirmed technical director Tim Steidten is leaving the club.

Mail Sport reported last week that the German was on his way out of the Hammers after facing huge scrutiny over the club’s summer transfer dealings that saw them splash nearly £130million on new signings.

New boss Graham Potter has brought in Kyle Macaulay as head of recruitment, having worked with him at Brighton and Chelsea, who was already taking on Steidten’s duties after the club restricted his access to their transfer data systems and co-owner David Sullivan took a leading role in negotiations.

Steidten endured a difficult relationship with the club’s previous two managers with both David Moyes and Julen Lopetegui banning him from the training ground.

‘Tim has been instrumental in our recruitment efforts,’ read a West Ham statement.

‘With the arrival of our new head coach Graham Potter, who has brought in his own head of recruitment, it is time for Tim to pursue new opportunities.

Graham Potter has brought long-term recruitment analyst Kyle Macaulay (right, in 2018) with him to the London Stadium

Steidten was criticised for a £130m summer recruitment drive, which included Niclas Fullkrug

‘We would like to thank Tim for his dedication and hard work and wish him all the best in his future endeavours.’

Steidten was lauded as ‘one of the game’s most-admired football administrators’ when he was appointed in July 2023, having worked at Bayer Leverkusen and Werder Bremen.

The 45-year-old was influential in bringing Mohammed Kudus, Edson Alvarez and Konstantin Mavropanos in his first transfer window but faced criticism for the recruitment drive this summer.

Niclas Fullkrug arrived for £27m from Borussia Dortmund but has been injured for most of the season while teenage Brazilian winger Luis Guilherme signed for £25m but is yet to start a Premier League game and was close to leaving in January for half the price.

Steidten allowed experienced midfielder James Ward-Prowse to leave for Forest on loan in the summer only for Potter to bring him back in his first transfer window at the club.