West Ham Technical Director Tim Stediten’s plans to affiliate with Klagenfurt is significant, according to analysts.

The new developments have a lot of potential for our club. Financial analyst Kieran Maguire claims that West Ham can utilise their new Austrian affiliate club as a strategic tool to advance their player development goals, particularly for youngsters who aren’t currently eligible to compete in the Premier League, as reported by Football Insider.

The latest deal, which took midfielder Andy Irving from Klagenfurt to West Ham, is just the beginning. According to reports, this deal covers a wider range of cooperation between the two organisations, designating Klagenfurt as a West Ham affiliate club. This tactic follows a pattern that has been observed throughout the Premier League; another illustration is Brighton’s partnership with Union SG.

What benefits do West Ham specifically receive from this affiliation? The potential to use the affiliate club to improve player experience and eligibility for the sought-after Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) needed to play in English football, in Maguire’s opinion, is the key.

For international athletes seeking to sign with Premier League clubs, the GBE points system establishes requirements. By joining together with Klagenfurt, West Ham acquires a crucial resource: a stage on which to showcase their abilities and gain more playing time and experience. Players who now lack the GBE points required for quick registration in England may find this strategy very valuable.

According to Maguire, this arrangement enables West Ham to use the affiliate club as a “holding area” where players can get crucial experience on the domestic and international levels. These players can join West Ham’s first team if they have accumulated enough GBE points.