West Ham 'in talks' to secure future of fan favourite; Rice dubbed him ‘unbelievable’

According to Roshane Thomas of The Athletic, West Ham have opened negotiations with Tomas Soucek over a new four-year contract.

The Czech Republic international arrived at West Ham in January 2020, joining on loan from Slavia Prague.

The initial £4m loan fee looked like an absolute bargain as he continued to impress for the Hammers. As a result, the Irons enacted the option to make the deal permanent with a £15m fee, and the midfielder signed a contract until the summer of 2024.

Soucek has played an integral part in David Moyes’ side since his arrival in east London, illustrated by being voted by Hammers fans as the club’s player of the year last season.

Thomas reported for The Athletic that West Ham have opened negotiations with the 26-year-old over a new deal, posting a link to the article via Twitter with the accompanying text of: “EXCL: Tomas Soucek in talks with West Ham over new four-year contract.”

Soucek is entering into the final two years of his current contract, and the club are eager to tie him down for his prime years with another long-term deal.

Despite a dip in form this season, having supplied just one assist in the Premier League, West Ham fans will surely be delighted to see Soucek remain at the club for years to come, if he can agree to a contract extension.

West Ham vice-captain Declan Rice has sung his team-mate’s praises, proclaiming him as an “unbelievable” player, while former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær last year described Soucek as ‘a goal threat’ and ‘a physical threat’ who a ‘good player’ for Moyes’ ‘strong squad’.

With a current market valuation of £40.5m, it is imperative that the club are able to tie Soucek down for the long-term, especially with the heavy interest