Steve Nickson now being targeted by West Ham - Big worry for Newcastle

Newcastle United's head of recruitment, Steve Nickson, is being eyed by West Ham, who recently lost Max Hahn from the same role.

The Hammers were relegated from the Premier League last season and are aiming to bounce straight back.

They clearly feel that Steve Nickson could help to achieve that, given his record of sourcing low-cost talent who can grow into profitable assets.

Nickson has been with Newcastle United for 15 years and has held the head of recruitment position since 2017. He has seen sporting directors come and go but has kept his position at the club through it all.

West Ham will give Steve Nickson more responsibility

The Chronicle is reporting that Nickson could be offered a more comprehensive role at West Ham that could tempt the 61-year-old to make a switch.

Nickson holds the relevant qualifications to be a sporting director, and the move to West Ham could be a step closer to holding that position rather than head of recruitment.

Nickson was instrumental in signings such as the £33m acquisition of Bruno Guimaraes. Steve Nickson was also the man who found Ayoze Perez at Tenerife, bringing him in for just £1.5m before he was sold to Leicester City for £30m.

Not now, lads, please.

Newcastle would do well to keep hold of Nickson, especially at this time of year. The last thing we need is a high-profile exit from the transfer team just as the summer window gets underway.

Should he leave, Newcastle will survive, and he will be replaced; we aren't worried about that, but he has proven himself as a core member of staff and would be a big miss.

Mostly, though, it's just about the timing. The last thing we need is backroom disruption during a transfer window again.