CandH Exclusive by Hughie Southon
David Moyes is understood to be ready to allow Tomas Soucek to leave the Hammers if the club receives a suitable offer this summer.
We have learned various agents of interested clubs are aware of the situation which has seemingly been on the cards for some time.
Reports CandH have received from sources close to the player over past weeks have made it clear the manager had refused to recommend giving last season’s Hammer of the Year a decent rise on his current contract at the first round of talks some weeks ago.
He feels the midfielder has been a shadow of the player who finally picked up last year’s fans award and is now ready to let him leave for the right money.
The Hammers could have expected around £40 million at the end of last season but that is likely to have fallen this summer although we believe there is keen interest from Europe.
Various reasons have been put forward for the player’s form- notably tiredness – and he has made 59 appearances at club and international level this season.
Others believe that the manager’s decision to have him essentially sitting in front of the back four has inhibited his game which has seen him score fewer goals this season despite playing more games than in any previous season either here or in the Czech league since the 2018/19 campaigns.
Soucek is currently halfway through a contract which expires in 2024.
Shame – but what can you do?
I would rather get rid of Moyes than him. Moyes was the one who insisted he change his game.
We must keep Soucek!
Stop playing him in a defensive role.
Play him as an attacking midfielder.
Sign a defensive midfielder.
We cannot afford to let him go…his occasional indifferent form this season is down to a change of role and not to any deficiencies in his play.
It would be a very big mistake to sell him especially if he were to go to another Premier club.
Yeah, I can see this one happening. He hasn’t looked particularly happy this season, and far less dynamic with his passing and movement too. Like he’s been stifled to make room for Dec to maraud forward. He’ll go to Germany and score 15 goals next season.
Crazy. Already losing Nobes and Karl (albeit latter has little to offer) and need to replace Yarmo, find a left back, an attacking midfielder, striker and a centre half if we are to lose Diop. Oh and at least 1x keeper.
If we lose Dec next summer we will be desperate for a box to box centre mid…….the position where Soucek excelled last season.
Moysie needs to be pulling a few rabbits……well, players…….out of the hat quickly.
If we make a sufficient profit, so be it. That money must be available to spend and not pocketed.
At the end of the day, Dec going forwards has not produced a hatful of goals, as he still seems to not want to take on Gerrard type shots from around the penalty area and it does appear to have stifled Soucek who has not really got the headed goals he stacked up last season.
Letting him go would be a mistake defensively heightwise when it comes to corners etc as the likes of Lanzini, Fornals and Benrahama are of no use back there as everyone towers over them!
Soucek has looked a shadow of the player he was last season, but only the club will know if it is tiredness ( which I doubt) or being a fish out of water.
That’s what I think Martin61. Dec hasn’t had his turn for a long term injury yet. But under those circumstances, Soucek would presumably take on a more attacking role. The problem is going to be with him not being happy with what he’s asked to do otherwise.
But It ain’t Moyesy’s fault, Pessimist, and we won’t do better by unreasonably dumping him when we’ve just done as well as we have for a looooong time. He can hardly ignore how Rice has come on this last season.
I would hate to see him go, he might look knackered every game but his stats show him to be one of the most effective defensive midfielders in Europe with the best running stats. Unless we are going to sign two world class replacements I would be very surprised if we got rid of him and certainly not for less than £50m.
Moyes appears to be completely incapable of accepting any responsibility for the consequences of his decisions. Moyes took away the most impactful part of Soucek’s game by insisting he sit deep rather than Rice. As great a season as Rice has had, he isn’t as effective in that more forward role as Soucek has been. But what do I know, eh?
Absolute madness to let him go bearing in mind his performance has not been up to his high standard because he has not been playing his preferred role.
Rice will be off to the right bidder and Soucek will be invaluable when that happens.
Chances are we will lose his stablemate, Coufal, should he leave and serious gaps will appear on the field and in the dressing room
For once im on Moyes side 40 mill then sell even 30 mill. Can get much better than a player that doesn’t score can’t tackle and passing is atrocious. Not the same one as first season maybe Moyes fault pushing Dec forward more but asking for more money after a poor season then jog on . Good luck to wherever you go too next .
Not sure why Moyes makes these decisions, he spends a season flooging the same players in every match.
Has issues about blooding young players, is he scared to make a mistake
No wonder Rice wants to leave, no player wants to go to West Ham because they don’t get to play.
Insists on trying to bring Linguard a player who did play well for half a season.
Moyes is a good manger but needs to change is stubborn ways.