Barcelona in talks with Tim Steidten over key backroom role

The former West Ham United director is currently a free agent after leaving the London club in January, and is attracting interest from several top sides across Europe and the Middle East.

Steidten, widely respected for his work in talent identification and recruitment, has also drawn attention from clubs in Saudi Arabia, Germany and England.

However, Barcelona are now firmly in the picture, aided by a strong relationship between Steidten and Deco, the Catalan club's sporting director — a connection forged during the transfer of Edmond Tapsoba to Bayer Leverkusen.

During his time at Leverkusen and West Ham, Steidten played a pivotal role in high-profile deals involving the likes of Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Mohammed Kudus.

His track record in unearthing and developing talent has made him one of the most sought-after sporting executives in the game.

Barcelona's interest in Steidten signals their intent to modernise and reinforce their sporting operations, with a focus on sustainable recruitment and long-term squad planning. Talks are ongoing as the club assesses their options for the summer and beyond.