West Ham United are seeking a foreign technical director to add to the football staff.

The Observer says the new appointment is likely to be foreign as he will be required to be multi-lingual and hold good contacts throughout Europe and especially in the east of the continent.

He will not be responsible for transfers - nor should he hold ambitions to manage the first team - but is expected to take charge of West Ham's youth structure as well as looking for talent of all ages abroad. It is also understood that his duties will include responsibility for the club's medical policy because there are concerns over the nature of some of the injuries sustained by players.