Tomas Soucek signs new West Ham United contract despite exit links
Tomas Soucek has signed a new four-year contract to remain at West Ham as he was entering the final 12 months of his previous deal, according to The Athletic.
The outlet reported in a Tuesday update (15 August) on their website that the Czech midfielder has now extended his terms to 2027 after starting the opening day draw against Bournemouth.
Soucek had been variously linked to moves away this summer after long-time midfield partner Declan Rice’s £105million departure to Arsenal.
West Ham were willing to sell him if the right offer came in during the window and there had been interest reported from the likes of Napoli [ExWHUemloyee via Patreon, 29 June], and Galatasaray [Haberturk, 24 July].
Remain
In the right circumstances Soucek’s West Ham career could easily have come to an end this summer but it looks like right now they can’t afford to let him go.
Rice has now finally been replaced by the dual signings of Edson Alvarez from Ajax and James Ward-Prowse from Southampton.
But, with Flynn Downes sent on loan to St. Mary’s and Lucas Paqueta getting closer to his own huge-money exit from the London Stadium to Manchester City, the club would be leaving themselves very thin again to let Soucek go in addition.
This window looked like a major opportunity for West Ham to properly restock a midfield that for so long has consisted of the Rice-Soucek partnership without a huge amount of options behind it.
Mark Noble’s appearances had decreased greatly by the time he retired last summer, and Downes’ arrival to replace him didn’t seem to convince David Moyes throughout a difficult campaign.
But instead it looks like the club are going to lose as much as they bring in this year and movement among his teammates has elevated Soucek’s status, for now, making him someone the manager can’t afford to lose at this stage.
In other West Ham news, the club are “frustrated” after one of their late pushes to complete a signing before the deadline has collapsed.