Former technical director Tim Steidten rather infamously jaunted off to Brazil in the summer of 2023 to ‘supervise’ the complicated recruitment of South American talent that at the time was rumoured to include Corinthians’ Yuri Alberto and Flamengo’s Pedro.
Neither subsequently appeared in a West Ham kit, as Tim’s 2023 jaunt proved in vain.
A year later he returned – no doubt in his WHU private jet again – on the trail of wonderkid Wesley Gassova which again proved a fail. This after he’d already ‘snapped’ up Luis Guilherme at the eye watering £20 million plus price that proved, in hindsight, a monumental waste of money.
Steidten-Transfer-Private Jet-West Ham-Niclas Füllkrug
Famous for his jaunts in the jet – whether to Brazil for Guilherme or Germany for Fullkrug: Steidten certainly knew how to spend club cash
At the time it was rumoured that Steidten had his’ insider’ in place close to Brazil’s top clubs and it seems one of those links he set up may finally be about to bear fruit: West Ham are linked today with a winger from ex Hammer Lucas Paqueta’s Flamengo, according to sportwitness.co.uk:
Most Read on West Ham News
“…..Open door for Hammers: West Ham United have tracked Gonzalo Plata for months now. Links have appeared regularly since late last year. But what once felt like background noise may now be turning into a real opportunity”
Gonzalo Plata – Flamengo’s Ecuadorian winger
Of course, post-Steidten the Hammers have had a good relationship with Flamengo, but the series of jaunts the then- Hammers technical director made to South America might not prove a complete waste of club cash if the Irons can capitalise on their transatlantic networking.
Landing a decent player who cost just £7 million in 2024 and can’t get into the current starting side through a drop in form will depend on where the Hammers end up playing their football next season: More modest targets will need to be switched in if the Irons drop through the trap door come the end of May.