West Ham's technical director, Tim Steidten, has been instructed to keep his distance from manager David Moyes and the first-team squad amid rumours of him scouting for Moyes' potential replacement.

Steidten has been instrumental in the Hammers' hunt for a new head coach as Moyes' departure at the end of the season seems increasingly likely.

In recent weeks, several top-tier coaches, including Ruben Amorim and Julen Lopetegui, have been touted as possible successors to Moyes once his contract at the London Stadium concludes.

However, this speculation has reportedly caused some unrest behind the scenes. According to The Guardian, it has led to Steidten being asked to steer clear of Moyes and his team.

The report further elaborates on how Steidten's relationship with Moyes has become tense since his arrival last summer. It is Moyes, not the club management, who has requested Steidten to maintain his distance during the season's final weeks, reports the Mirror.

While Moyes is scheduled for discussions with the board later this month, it is suggested that it would require a significant shift for the ex-Manchester United boss to be offered a new contract.

David Moyes secured the Europa Conference League trophy last season, ensuring another year of European football for West Ham, but their Premier League form has been worrying since January, with only four wins to their name.

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READ MORE: Ruben Amorim apologises to Sporting fans for West Ham talks after Liverpool snub

While we await a decision on Moyes' future at West Ham, it appears increasingly unlikely that Ruben Amorim will depart Sporting Lisbon for the Hammers after he conceded that engaging in direct discussions with West Ham was "a mistake".

Sporting's head coach Amorim, as reported by Ojogo, addressed the issue last week: "So let's get the elephant out of the room and I'll talk about it once. The first thing is to say that the club was aware of my trip. It's important and changes the context."

"Then, talk about the cloak of secrecy that surrounded the trip. I secretly parked the car outside, secretly walked past 15 people, past people and took photographs and got on a plane to take away a little bit of this thing that was all done behind the club's back, that didn't happen."

"Obviously my trip was a mistake, the timing was completely wrong, it didn't seem right at the time. It was wrong, especially when I'm so demanding with my players and always the first to say that each one's problems don't go away. They can overpower the team, I have already removed players from the squad for much less. It was my mistake, I have to accept it and live with it."