West Ham risk damaging exit as UCL heavyweights line up deal for powerful midfielder
David Moyes giving instructions to Tomas Soucek
West Ham United midfielder Tomas Soucek has become a target for Serie A side and Champions League contenders Inter Milan, according to reports in Italy.
Soucek is into the final year of his contract with West Ham, which makes him eligible to arrange a free transfer next year. In the event of him being released, Inter could look to provide him with the next step of his career, according to Il Corriere Dello Sport.
The newspaper has claimed that Inter want to exploit the free-agent market again in 2024, which has led them to identify Soucek as someone they could target.
Impressed by his physical and tactical traits, Inter will weigh up making their move for the Czech Republic international if he becomes available.
Soucek has been with West Ham since January 2020, when he joined from Slavia Prague in an initial loan deal that became permanent that summer.
West Ham are now the club he has represented the most in his career across 165 appearances, from which he has scored 26 goals and added nine assists. This season, he has scored four goals already from 10 appearances across all competitions.
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Playing in Italy would be a new experience for Soucek, who spent his entire club career in his native country before coming to England with West Ham.
A Europa Conference League champion last season, Soucek might get the chance to compete in the Champions League with Inter if, after finishing as runners up in 2023-24, they qualify for next season’s edition. Soucek last played in UEFA’s top tournament in his final six months with Slavia Prague.
Soucek could extend West Ham stay
It remains to be seen who else might be in the market for the 28-year-old. TEAMtalk has previously reported that West Ham could give him a contract extension until 2027, which would seemingly render Inter’s plans obsolete, given that they have been focusing on him as a soon-to-be free agent.
Soucek is now the longest-serving midfielder at West Ham after they sold Declan Rice in the summer. New competitors in the position are James Ward-Prowse and Edson Alvarez, who came from Southampton and Ajax respectively.
Inter, meanwhile, modified their midfield this summer by bringing in Davide Frattesi on loan from Sassuolo and Davy Klaassen on a free from Ajax, while releasing Roberto Gagliardini to Monza and selling Marcelo Brozovic to Al-Nassr.
Klaassen only signed a one-year contract to play for Simone Inzaghi’s side, who will also see Stefano Sensi and Henrikh Mkhitaryan reach the ends of their contracts at the end of the season.
