David Moyes could lose Tomas Soucek after West Ham United ace shines with 100% display
West Ham United supporters will have been watching the Czech Republic and Tomas Soucek’s displays during the October international break with a keen eye.
The Hammers midfielder was his side’s saviour in their 1-0 win over the Faroe Islands on Sunday (15 October) as he slotted away a second-half penalty to keep the Czech’s hopes of reaching next summer’s tournament alive, after a difficult display earlier in the week against Albania.
There are other clubs however who are reportedly monitoring the 28-year-old’s displays at an international level, with Inter Milan eager to sign the midfielder on a free transfer when his contract expires at the London Stadium at the end of the season [Corriere Dello Sport, 11 October].
During the defeat to Albania, Inter director Paulo Ausilio was reportedly in attendance to watch the West Ham man [FC Inter News, 12 October] and although his display wouldn’t have inspired the Italian giants to get a contract readied, his performance on Sunday may have perked their interest.
No player on either team won more duels than Soucek throughout the game, with the 28-year-old winning a total of 12 of his battles, including 90 per cent of his 10 attempted duels in the air and three of his five on the ground [Fotmob].
The West Ham man only had to make one tackle in the game, but he did come out on top in what was an excellent defensive performance that included six ball recoveries, one interception and three-headed clearances as the Czech Republic kept a clean sheet.
On the ball, Soucek was equally as impressive, registering a huge 108 touches throughout the 90 minutes, including 12 passes into the final third which created three good chances for his teammates as they struggled to convert any of their 29 attempts on goal.
85 per cent of the midfielder’s 84 attempted passes found a teammate and alone he had three shots, including his winning penalty as he continued to carry an immense goal threat as he has done so far this season when playing in claret and blue.
It is unlikely that a single good performance will convince Inter Milan to act on their interest and move to sign the 28-year-old either in January or next summer, but if Thursday’s defeat to Albania harmed his chances, Sunday’s win may well have helped him recover.
This could be a transfer story to keep an eye on in the coming weeks as Inter have become incredibly well-versed at picking up big-name players on free transfers in recent seasons.
In other West Ham news, one journalist is unconvinced that the Hammers will offer Kurt Zouma a new deal