West Ham United are considering Copenhagen's head of recruitment and scouting, Nils Koppen, as a potential candidate to lead their transfer operations, according to Standard Sport. The Hammers are undergoing a major recruitment overhaul following relegation to the Championship for the first time in 14 years.
Koppen Among Candidates for Director of Recruitment
Standard Sport understands that while no deal has been agreed, Koppen is one of several candidates being considered to front West Ham's transfer business. The club has been looking to overhaul their recruitment department after the departures of former head of recruitment Maximilian Hahn and technical director Tim Steidten.
Koppen, who is reportedly keen on the role at West Ham, previously worked for Scottish giants Rangers, initially joining as head of scouting before being promoted to technical director. He left the Scottish Premiership side in June last year to take up his current role at Copenhagen.
Rebuilding Recruitment Structure
West Ham are also seeking to appoint a director of football and had been in talks with former Newcastle head of recruitment Steve Nickson before he reportedly struck a deal with Wrexham. Academy analyst Dylan Curnell has been handling recruitment operations on a temporary basis, but Standard Sport understands that the lack of a permanent appointment has left some players uncertain about their futures.
Should West Ham strike a deal with Koppen, he will be tasked with identifying players for the club as they embark on their first season back in the Championship in 14 years. The Hammers' recruitment in recent years has been heavily criticised, and they are braced to lose some of their biggest assets this summer.
Transfer Targets and Departures
The east London club are in the market for a winger, with Crysencio Summerville and Jarrod Bowen attracting interest. As Standard Sport reported on Thursday, West Ham also hold an interest in Leicester City winger Abdul Fatawu. The club's recruitment overhaul comes at a critical time as they look to rebuild for life in the second tier.
