Mourinho’s Latest Move Leaves Steidten Anxious About West Ham’s Transfer Window

West Ham fans are growing increasingly anxious about the slow progress on transfers this summer.

The Hammers have so far completed only three of their planned eight signings, and progress has noticeably stalled since Max Kilman’s arrival two and a half weeks ago.

With the new Premier League season just over three weeks away, the urgency to finalize new signings is intensifying. New head coach Julen Lopetegui has emphasized the need for signings soon to implement his tactical plans effectively.

The primary focus for technical director Tim Steidten is securing a striker, but the team also requires a new centre-back, a left-sided attacker, a central midfielder, and a versatile full-back.

With the transfer window closing in under six weeks, Steidten’s reputation is at stake. Last summer, Steidten earned praise for his acquisitions of Mohammed Kudus and Edson Alvarez.

However, David Moyes rejected Steidten’s January targets. Now, with Steidten having full control over West Ham’s recruitment, the responsibility falls solely on him.

Initially, there was a strong sense of trust in Steidten’s abilities at the London Stadium. However, doubts are surfacing as West Ham fails to secure several of their targeted players.

Steidten’s first move this summer was to pursue Corinthians winger Wesley Gassova, but negotiations stalled when the Brazilian club demanded a higher fee. Attempts to finalize a deal with Flamengo for defender Fabricio Bruno also fell through at the last moment.

West Ham has hesitated at the high fees for Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Callum Wilson, and Jonathan David, the latter also involving £10 million in agent fees. Additionally, the club has resisted Aston Villa’s £35 million asking price for Jhon Duran.

A bid for Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo was accepted, but Todibo opted for a move to Juventus instead. Meanwhile, potential deals for Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Kyle Walker-Peters have become increasingly drawn out.

The situation became more complicated over the weekend when Youssef En-Nesyri, Lopetegui’s top striker target, joined Fenerbahce under Jose Mourinho.

Now, Steidten is left grappling with the possibility of a disastrous transfer window, as Fenerbahce is reportedly interested in another of West Ham’s targets.

After an initial cooling-off period, West Ham has renewed their interest in Wesley, but the situation remains uncertain.