West Ham United midfielder Tomas Soucek has been an incredible servant to the East London outfit since joining the club in 2020.
The West Ham ace has made 275 appearances for the club, bagging 46 goals and 13 assists despite being a defensive midfielder.
The Czech Republic international played a key role as the club won the Europa Conference League and has been a mainstay in the starting XI until this season.
Soucek has started only 16 of 30 Premier League games this term, with Nuno Espirito Santo testing other midfield combinations.
His reduced role has spurred rumours of Everton’s interest in his services. The reports claim that David Moyes, who previously worked with Soucek at West Ham, wants a reunion.
A number of West Ham players could be heading for the door if the Hammers fail to secure their Premier League status, and it wouldn’t be much of a surprise if Soucek is one of them.
With only a year left on his deal, which expires in 2027, the Hammers must decide whether to cash in on Soucek or keep him around.
Soucek’s time at Rush Green
Not many will have expected Soucek to attain cult-hero status at West Ham when the rangy midfielder joined from Slavia Prague for €21 million (£19 million) in July 2020.
However, his knack for important goals and tireless shifts in the engine room quickly endeared him to the fans.
While he is not the quickest or most athletic, Soucek always puts himself about, and his football intelligence sets him apart.
He is a weapon on set-pieces offensively and provides excellent cover defensively.
Soucek has four goals for West Ham this season, and all but one of them have been at a crucial stage in a game. The Irons have won just twice when he has not started.
In the two games they won without him starting, he scored a goal after coming on as a substitute.
West Ham have a 31% win rate with him in the team and a 57% loss rate without him.
The Hammers have 29 points in the Premier League, and 19 of them came when he started, compared to 10 when he was absent from the squad or on the bench.
Soucek remains a key player for West Ham, forming a more reliable partnership with Mateus Fernandes in the middle than Soungoutou Magassa.
He will be important in their bid to stave off relegation this term, but will he be at the club beyond this summer?
West Ham should pull out all the stops to hold onto Soucek
Letting Soucek walk away this summer will be a short-sighted call for a club that still lacks certainty in key areas.
Even if West Ham refresh their midfield, it should not come at the cost of one of their most dependable players. Alongside Jarrod Bowen, he is one of the spines of this club.
Soucek offers something few in the current group can replicate – positional discipline, aerial dominance, natural leadership, and an instinct for decisive moments.
Those traits do not always translate neatly into modern football metrics, but they often prove decisive across a long, demanding season.
He is no longer a long-term building block, but that is precisely why West Ham should be smart. A one-year extension will preserve his immense experience while maintaining flexibility.
It will also protect the club from being forced into the market for yet another replacement.
More importantly, Soucek’s presence can ease the transition for any incoming midfielders.
Integrating new signings into any team is rarely seamless, and having a seasoned operator alongside them significantly reduces the pressure on their shoulders.
West Ham may need one or two midfield additions this summer, but they should complement Soucek rather than push him out. His experience, leadership, and reliability are too valuable to discard.
