Journo questions ‘crazy’ West Ham United stance over Tomas Soucek amid Inter Milan rumours
Luke Edwards says it would be “crazy” for West Ham to allow Tomas Soucek to join Inter Milan on a free transfer at the end of the season.
Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport reported on Wednesday (11 October) that Soucek is a target for the Serie A heavyweights next year.
Soucek is due to be out of contract at London Stadium in the summer, but West Ham have the option of triggering a 12-month extension.
However, speaking on BBC Sport’s Football Gossip Daily podcast (12 October, 13m 5s), Edwards said the decision is not as clear-cut as that.
“The noises that are coming out of the club are that if Soucek decides he wants to leave, they won’t exercise that year,” he said.
“I would think that would be crazy. That’s probably wishful thinking on the agent’s part.
“Even if West Ham wanted to move Soucek on, they’d want some money for him. They don’t just want him to leave on a free transfer.”
The Telegraph reporter Edwards added: “Soucek is probably just feeling a little bit unsettled.
“He’ll be looking at the contract for [Jarrod] Bowen and thinking ‘well, if I’m going to get a new contract then those talks need to begin soon’.”
Wide of the mark
If Soucek indicates that he would like to join Inter at the end of the season, he will leave with West Ham supporters’ best wishes.
But there is absolutely no way the club should let him head to out the side exit on a free transfer – especially not to a club the size of Inter Milan.
Soucek may have been a good servant to the Hammers, but this is a football club and not a charity.
It is unclear exactly how much West Ham would raise for Soucek heading into the final year of his contract, but it would easily be multi-millions.
Inter are a huge club, one that reached the Champions League final last season, and have the money to fund a move for Soucek should they wish.
Whoever Edwards has heard this particular rumour from, it is surely wide of the mark.
In other West Ham news, a Hammers player is reportedly being watched up close by a European club on Thursday (12 October).