Not too long ago, it was reported that West Ham United would hold an enquiry following some less-than-impressive transfers during the summer.
The person most under pressure from the scrutiny was Hammers Director of Football, Tim Steidten, and the deals under the microscope were those for Luís Guilherme and Niclas Füllkrug.
Both deals have been discussed on these pages numerous times, but suffice it to say that £20 million appears to have been wasted on a Brazilian youngster who can’t get a game at either senior or youth level. Füllkrug, on the other hand, has yet to start a Premier League game, and since joining the Hammers for £27 million, it has become clear that the German striker has had an abysmal injury record since 2019.
However, at the very forefront of the enquiry should be how West Ham allowed Jhon Durán to slip through their fingers when he seemingly had already packed his bags and was ready to join. The Aston Villa striker looks like one of the hottest properties in world football, and clearly, somebody at the club rated him highly enough to make a £36 million transfer offer.
The rest, as they say, is history. Durán believed he was on his way to the London Stadium, even giving a crossed hammers sign to his Instagram followers. But everything broke down when the Hammers wouldn’t match Villa’s £40 million valuation.
Duran poses for West Ham fans as he readies himself to sign
£40m starting to look like a bargain
West Ham’s error of judgement looks worse by the week as the Colombian continues to build his reputation as one of the most feared strikers both domestically and on the continent. Some might suggest that the 20-year-old looks good with hindsight, but that would be an inaccurate description of events.
It hasn’t accidentally transpired with the passing of time that Durán has turned out to be a decent player—West Ham identified that, as evidenced by the fact they were willing to spend £36 million on him.
It’s clear that somebody at the club believed the young striker was the real deal. Whoever it was will surely be kicking themselves now. More likely, they’ll want to kick the person who pulled the plug on the transfer, clearly disagreeing that Durán was worth the fee Villa were asking.
Sometimes, with young players, a club gets one chance to sign them, and that may certainly be the case with Jobe Bellingham, who Martin wrote about earlier this morning.
As for Durán, I’m afraid the horse has bolted, and that £40 million asking price is beginning to look like something of a bargain now.
Funny how 99% of people saw how good this deal was …but the so called professionals running out club couldn’t….all the players we could of had and we fk it ip …c.palmer and Duran are up there near the top of our just awful buisness
please, don’t even suggest the reason we didn’t get Duran was Steidten’s fault we all know, only too well, who the putz is in that case. SULLIVAN! say it, Gonzo! him and Villa, who played us like the chumps we are. now, try removing the picture of Steidten as your header for thus article. the implications it creates are cheap and obvious. replace with a picture of Sullivan with a white fluffy goose on his head. disappointed. you’re not fooling anyone. or is it that you just leave it to us to lay blame at Sullivan’s feet for you, since you won’t get any “top source” info if you do?
Get rid of loppy and stiedman. Both w*****s
Sure Sullivan does need to sell up his meanness has cost us time and again every thing on the cheap is Sullivan so what ever happens with JLo he will still go for the cheapest option he likes the money coming in but hates having to pay money out and that will mean that we won’t get a top manager unless by some miracle Sullivans attitude changes. Untill JLo is asked to leave we are stuck with him
Sullivan is under the most scrutiny and is getting the biggest amount of abuse and rightly so!
Steidten wanted Duran , Sullivan wouldn’t pay and then told Steidren to get someone cheaper and he did , Fulkrug . Steidten wanted Amorim ,Sullivan wouldn’t pay and then got the cheap option Lopetegui . Clearly the big problem is Sullivan , who really needs to retire now and leave it to the experts .
These must be easy to write up, you just c&p from the many ones already written on here on the same subject.
100% I said that at the time… We have a porn midget pretending he knows how to run a modern football club. DURAN was an absolute bargain and compared to the other stupid strikers we signed was and is a proven premier league striker!
Sullivan needs to go as does whoever didn’t agree to the 4 million more!!
100% Sullivans fault Duran.
Fulkrug we still can’t judge.
Guilherme should be being played – Loppys fault
We all know that Villa didn’t want to let him go until they had a replacement in place. That didn’t materialise so it was going to be difficult to prize Duran away.
Villa also sold Moussa Diaby and Douglas Luiz for big money which eased the pressure on the finances.
So, to point the finger at West Ham for failing to cough up i think is only half the story
I genuinely do not believe for a minute that we failed because of a mere £5m
Simply doesn’t make sense after we had spent significant money on the likes of Kilman, Summerville, etc
Having said all that Fullkrug wasn’t the right choice but I hope he proves us all wrong now that he’s back from injury
As for Guilherme – only Steidten knows why he pushed that deal through
Only Lope the Dope knows why he doesn’t get opportunity to play. Irving, Orford, Scarles agree!
when a coach is given a short 2 year deal where results are paramount and building a future squad with young players is a luxury rather than a necessity, then our academy players will never get a look in
I don’t blame Lopetegui for that, but I do blame the Board for their short-sightedness in not bringing in a manager who can plan for the long term
Agreed, wrong coach appointment. Hoping we go all out for Hoeness and finally get a top coach that has the proven credentials for the situation we are in.
Does Sebastian Hoeness have the credentials?
2 years as B Munich reserves
2 years Hoffenheim 38.27 win%
1+ seasons at Stuttgart, 57 win %, got them in Champions League, but currently 26th in that league and 8th in Budesliga.
He’s never managed in the Premiership, or a ‘big’ club’.
So while he looks promising as a manager, his credentials are are far from proven.
Took a club with no budget facing relegation and in to Champions Lge ahead of much bigger clubs. They might be 8th but not many points off qualifying for Europe again so 100% has the credentials.
We are not a big club and can you imagine where we would be in that Champions League table considering where we are in the Prem?
Almost certainly Sullivan who wouldn’t stump up.
Sullivan also chose Lopetegui when he was nobody elses choice.
Is Sullivan starting to lose it ?
Has Sullivan ever had it, rather than lose it?
We are becoming a clone of Birmingham FC which was run and owned by Sullivan & Brady.
History repeating itself and same mistakes. He appointed Alex McLeish at Birmingham who got them relegated twice!
Avram Grant still scars our memories!
Another woeful Sullivan appointment that got us relegated.
Can’t we stop talking about Duran and move on!?
Is that aimed at Gonzo or fans replying?
Dont butter it up everyman and his dog knows it was Sullivan, howmany times have we lost players by his insulting attitude towards clubs who put a valuation on their players, and he offers rediculas offers and makes us look a laughing stock ,yet he wouldn’t budge on rices valuation, it’s a pity he can’t see himself as fans do just a porn baron Barrow boy