Opinion: Steidten Shows Genius as Former West Ham Player Already Listed for Sale Again
Tim Steidten Deserves Credit for Offloading Said Benrahma as Lyon Issues Emerge
On 13 November, Mohamed Toubache-Ter reported via X that Lyon are already looking to sell Said Benrahma in the January transfer window, despite only acquiring him from West Ham in the summer.
The journalist also revealed that the Algerian international was left out of Lyon’s recent derby against Saint-Etienne (10 November) for “non-sporting” reasons, reportedly under the direction of Pierre Sage.
This situation highlights West Ham’s technical director Tim Steidten’s shrewd decision-making.
Although the club sits 14th in the Premier League, despite a summer spending spree exceeding £100 million, Steidten deserves credit for offloading Benrahma at an opportune time, securing a reasonable fee in the process.
Lyon initially signed Benrahma on loan for £5.1 million in February, later paying an additional £12.3 million to make the transfer permanent in the summer, bringing the total to £17.4 million.
Although this amount falls short of the £25 million West Ham originally paid for him in 2020, the Hammers are entitled to 10% of any capital gain should Lyon sell him.
While Benrahma’s talent on the field is undeniable, concerns over his behavior have surfaced, now reportedly affecting his status at Lyon.
West Ham, though struggling in the league, at least avoided such off-field issues, sparing them from dealing with disciplinary concerns around the player.
