As Daniel Kretinsky’s influence grows at West Ham United, the road which brought Tomas Soucek, Vladimir Coufal and El Hadji Malick Diouf to East London should again be open for service.
“There has always been that affinity [between West Ham United and Czech players], Kretinsky told The Times back in 2021
“If you invest in a club, you need to have that emotional connection. If you don’t, it never works.”
Kretinsky played a key role in Tomas Soucek’s contract extension in 2023. A decision driven as much by the heart as it was the head.
What STOOD OUT to you in Daniel Kretinsky’s statement?
The 'Czech Sphinx' has big ambitions…
One suspects the ‘Czech Sphinx’ was delighted to see El Hadji Malick Diouf make the move from Prague to the Premier League as well. And not only because the Senegalese left-back helped Slavia win the domestic title at the expense of Kretinsky’s Sparta.
According to InFotbol, young goalkeeper Krisztian Hegyi is leaving one of Kretinsky’s clubs for another. The Hungarian prospect is expected to leave West Ham for Sparta in the coming hours.
It would also come little surprise to see the Hammers make a move for two of the most exciting forwards on Czech soil as Kretinsky injects £90 million into the club by way of taking a 43 per cent stake.
Daniel Kretinsky will leave the Czech pipeline open at West Ham United
The incoming Steve Nickson will have a major say over recruitment going forward. Newcastle’s long-standing head of recruitment is West Ham-bound.
But Kretinsky’s Czech connections mean that Albion Rrahmani and Mojmir Chytil are two names worth keeping an eye on.
According to The Athletic, West Ham were running the rule over Mojmir Chytil ahead of the January transfer window. The Hammers would spend over £40 million on Pablo Felipe and Taty Castellanos instead. But with the future of both players uncertain – Callum Wilson has already left the London Stadium – a new striker could again be required.
Like Coufal and Soucek, Chytil is a member of the Czech World Cup squad. The 27-year-old scored eleven top-flight goals for Slavia in 2025/26.
Tell us how YOU feel as West Ham close in on Steve Nickson appointment?
The Newcastle chief is London-bound… 📝
According to ExWHUEmployee, Albion Rrahmani is someone West Ham have watched as well. Rrahmani plays for Sparta, the club co-owned by Kretinsky. He is two years younger than Chytil and, with 16 last term, appears a more natural goalscorer.
A combination of ‘proven’ Championship talent and Czech league stars?
Links with Sydie Peck, Harrison Burrows, Bobby Clark and Zan Vipotnik suggest that West Ham will be prioritising ‘proven’ Championship talent this summer.
The Kretinsky connection, though, means left-field arrivals from Eastern Europe are always a possibility.
“Our focus is now firmly on protecting the future of this Football Club,” Kretinsky said in a bullish statement alongside Vanessa Gold shortly after David Sullivan’s resignation.
“Our goal is to stabilise West Ham United, retain as many of our key players as possible and, under the management of Nuno Espirito Santo, secure an immediate return to the Premier League.”
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
