Callum O'Connell

Sat 9 September 2023 11:40, UK

West Ham star Thomas Soucek has agreed to a new long-term contract at the London Stadium, with the club expected to make an announcement shortly after shareholder Daniel Kretinsky insisted, according to TEAMtalk.

The online news outlet shared on 9 September that Soucek’s deal was due to expire at the end of the season, but the Czech Republic international has been handed a new four-year deal, which will be announced in the coming days.

It was also reported that Soucek’s countryman Kretinsky was keen to ensure the midfielder was rewarded for his fine form, and also to alleviate the threat he would leave for free at the end of the season as he sees him as a vital part of their plans going forward, and therefore led the drive to get him a new deal.

Getting key players tied down

Should Soucek have left at the end of the season for free after the impact he has had at the London Stadium, after signing for £19million in 2020, it would have been a real oversight on the Hammers’ part. Having him tied down to a long-term deal gives them more control over his future.

If they decide in two years’ time that they need to move him on, they can now guarantee a return for him even if they don’t make a profit, rather than registering a huge loss in letting him leave the club on a free transfer.

He can continue to have an impact on Moyes’ side, with his physicality lending itself perfectly to Moyes’ system, as well as the set-piece ability that has already been proven to be effective this season by new arrivals James Ward-Prowse and Mohammed Kudus.

Soucek will play a key role for the Hammers again this season, even if his appearances are limited to coming from the bench, with the first-choice midfield three likely to consist of Ward-Prowse, Edson Alvarez and Lucas Paqueta, but the Czech midfielder’s impact cannot be understated.

In other West Ham news, Chris Sutton has shared his verdict on a Hammers player’s international snub.