West Ham recruitment director Nils Koppen says talks with Daniel Křetínský in Prague convinced him the club shared his vision for rebuilding the squad.
The Belgian revealed that his initial contact came through a video call with board member Jiří Švarc, before he travelled to meet both men in person.
Speaking on West Ham’s official Iron Cast podcast, Koppen said: “I really felt the ambition.”
Nils Koppen explains Křetínský talks
Koppen said the discussions quickly established agreement over the squad’s needs and the principles guiding summer recruitment.
He also felt the club would trust him to carry out the job.
The account offers a first-hand perspective on Křetínský’s involvement in football planning, alongside the wider changes covered in our West Ham ownership guide.
Shared decisions with Nuno
Koppen explained that alignment between the recruitment department, board and Nuno Espírito Santo became a central principle from his arrival.
They discussed priority positions and agreed their leading targets together, with daily meetings during the window.
His reasoning was practical: recruiting a player the manager does not want risks bringing in someone who will not play.
The Prague discussions therefore established the direction. Koppen’s work with Nuno then translated that agreement into recruitment decisions.
