West Ham United striker Niclas Füllkrug has again detailed how Tim Steidten was key to him moving to the London Stadium this summer.
The forward has been speaking to SportBILD about his summer move and again emphasised the key role that Steidten played in it.
Füllkrug joined West Ham in a €27m deal at the beginning of August as the Hammers continued to spend a lot to reshape the squad for Julen Lopetegui.
His arrival was certainly one of the more eye-catching ones of a busy summer, with few having predicted he would have left Dortmund after just a year.
He joined them in a €17.25m deal from Werder Bremen in August 2023 and, having initially been a back up option, went on to become their first choice across last season with 15 goals and 10 assists as they made it to the Champions League final.
However, the summer arrival of Serhou Guirassy was seen by the striker as proof he was no longer wanted and so he quickly departed for West Ham when they made their move.
And it seems Steidten was key to making that happen. He had worked with the striker before during his time in Germany and used that to his advantage to secure the deal.
“I’ve had a good relationship with Tim Steidten (Technical Director of West Ham) since our time together at Werder,” he said.
“He played a big part. In the end, the decisive factor was the discussions with coach Julen Lopetegui.
“I had a good feeling straight away. He explained to me where he saw me on the pitch, how I could help the team with my strengths. He immediately gave me the impression that he really wanted me and that I was needed.
“I received this appreciation because I performed particularly well in the Champions League and in the national team – including at the home European Championships.”
