David Sullivan is back at the wheel of West Ham’s transfer business and it’s already clear for all to see.
West Ham revealed they would not be replacing Tim Steidten in a Hammers News exclusive over a month ago.
West Ham’s owners told Hammers News: “We will go with what we have because we are a happy ship at the moment.”
The rest of the football media are only just catching up now.
But it has nonetheless been reaffirmed this week that David Sullivan is stepping back into his role as West Ham’s de facto director of football.
Kyle Macaulay has been reunited with Graham Potter as West Ham’s new head of recruitment.
His and Potter’s first signing hasn’t worked out too well with Evan Ferguson proving a complete flop so far.
Sullivan back at the wheel for West Ham
While Macaulay will be identifying talent alongside Potter, Sullivan will have his input and ultimately be the man charged with doing the deals.
That has already divided opinion among Hammers fans.
West Ham looked to have moved away from their incoherent, scattergun transfer approach under when Sullivan took a step back from recruitment with David Moyes in charge.
There are fears that will now return with a vengance.
Whatever fans think of Sullivan, though, he has been around a long time.
And he is well-connected with a number of important agents.
Not least Will Salthouse, who heads up Unique Sports Management.
Salthouse, a close personal friend of Sullivan and his sons Dave and Jack, has been key to a plethora of West Ham signings in recent years.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka being one recent and highly successful, value-for-money example.
West Ham are in desperate need of another major overhaul this summer.
Top Hammers transfer target signs with Salthouse
The fact the club is fighting to avoid finishing 17th and being the worst team in the Premier League outside the bottom three is all the evidence needed of that.
The Hammers need at least one – if not two – strikers, a complete midfield rebuild, a new centre-back, versatile full-back and possibly a new goalkeeper too.
Sales will be key to any deals with PSR biting the Hammers hard.
But there are over £100m worth of player sales planned at West Ham. So that should not be an issue.
The first big clue of impending West Ham transfer business may have been dropped too.
It’s clear Sullivan is at the wheel for West Ham as a top transfer target signs with Salthouse.
Cirque du Solet for West Ham
Last summer West Ham target Oumar Solet had his contract terminated by RB Salzburg.
The Hammers were interested, but Oumar Solet ended up joining Udinese instead, for whom the 25-year-old centre-back has been superb this season.
Tuttomercatoweb has claimed West Ham are back in for him now with Potter wanting a third top centre-back alongside Jean-Clair Todibo and Max Kilman.
Udinese are said to be keen to turn a quick profit too.
Now transfer reporter Fabrizio Romano has dropped a huge hint that West Ham are already heavily involved in a potential move.
Romano has confirmed that Solet has signed with new agents as he will be represented by Salthouse’s USM.
Romano also states that the Frenchman’s excellent performances in Serie A have made him ‘one to watch’ in the summer transfer window.
This is surely a case of ‘show me Sullivan is back involved with West Ham’s transfer dealings without telling me’.
Solet would be a fantastic addition.
Although it will be galling to pay too much given he was available for nothing a year ago.
The summer window will open between June 1st and 10th, close for a week, then re-open until September.
It sounds like West Ham are getting ready for a busy one already.
