West Ham United should consider selling Tomas Soucek to Inter Milan says BBC pundit
West Ham should consider selling midfielder Tomas Soucek to Inter Milan next year, according to Liam Withnail.
Speculation linking Soucek with a move to San Siro has been growing in recent days, with Corriere dello Sport reporting on Thursday (12 October) that Inter director Piero Ausilio watched the player up close while representing Czech Republic.
Discussing the rumours on BBC Sport’s Football Gossip Daily [12 October, 15m 18s], comedian and host Withnail argued a sale may make sense if West Ham are looking to continue growing.
“It’s difficult when you’re trying to raise yourself as a club and climb to the next level,” he said.
“It does mean sometimes having to let go of players who may be fan favourites and may have done a good job, but just aren’t quite at the same level as your Champions League-level players.”
Still needed
Soucek is a regular under David Moyes after returning to his best form this season, so talk of the Czech midfielder being sold in January makes little sense right now.
It is also laughable that Inter supposedly think they have a chance of landing him on a free [Luke Edwards], despite effectively having another season to run on his contract.
However, Withnail does have a point with his statement regarding West Ham taking the next step in their development.
Soucek has been a superb servant for the Hammers, and will always have a place in supporters’ hearts for the part he played in the club’s Europa Conference League success last season.
But the Hammers are in a position to now challenge for a top-four spot, and they need to continue improving the squad if that is going to happen.
It could be argued that Mohammed Kudus, Lucas Paqueta and possibly Jarrod Bowen are the only three Champions League quality players in the squad right now.
James Ward-Prowse and Edson Alvarez have settled in superbly, and it may well be that another top-class central midfielder is recruited over the next couple of windows to replace Soucek.
For now, though, Soucek still has a part to play at London Stadium.
In other West Ham news, the Hammers have reportedly already bid for a defender who is playing in the Champions League.