A Hammers insider has delivered their verdict on rumours of a shock Aston Villa move for £50m West Ham star Tomas Soucek.
They say ‘there is no smoke without fire’ and that is playing on the minds of West Ham fans amid continued talk of a move away for Soucek.
Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard has made no secret of the fact he is very much using West Ham as the yardstick for his side in the coming seasons.
David Moyes has taken West Ham from a side flirting with the relegation places to a genuine European outfit and top six challengers over the last couple of years.
Gerrard sees West Ham as a club Villa can and should be emulating – as reported previously on Hammers News.
The Aston Villa boss even said playing against the Hammers taught him a big lesson last season.
Aston Villa have showed they mean business with a host of quality signings so far this summer.
The Villains have signed reported West Ham targets Boubacar Kamara, Diego Carlos and Philippe Coutinho. And they have added Sweden goalkeeper Robin Olsen too.
For Aston Villa what better way to catch up with West Ham than sign one of their best players?
Villa have been linked with West Ham star Soucek over the last few weeks.
West Ham insiders Claret and Hugh have consistently claimed that Soucek could be sold this summer after a disagreement with Moyes over a new contract.
Football Insider has made similar claims about both the apparent disagreement between Moyes and the player over a new contract as well as West Ham being willing to sell.
Soucek is valued at around £40-50m and endured a below par season after Moyes changed the dynamic between the Czech Republic captain and Declan Rice.
According to journalist Ashley Preece in a recent Q&A for Birmingham Mail Villa sporting director Johan Lange is currently “exploring” potential midfield targets ahead of a summer move, with Hammers ace Soucek believed to be one figure of interest who is possibly up for grabs.
Insider delivers verdict on rumours of shock Aston Villa move for £50m West Ham star Tomas Soucek
Asked if the Midlands outfit are in the market for a new central midfielder, Preece stated: “Yes, Villa are looking to add more quality in CM. Johan Lange exploring options. Tomas Soucek is said to be available.”
Now a Hammers insider has delivered their verdict on rumours of a shock Aston Villa move for £50m West Ham star Soucek.
Agents close to the Soucek camp have told told Claret and Hugh that there is a ‘seemingly impossible gap’ between Soucek and the club and that his future with the Hammers looks ‘bleaker and bleaker’.
But the insider cast doubt over suggestions of a shock move to Villa.
“We are hearing that Newcastle are interested but that suggestions Villa might come in are probably not true,” agents close to the situation told Claret and Hugh.
“It had been hoped that there may have been a change of heart from the manager on a new deal but even were that to become the case – and it hasn’t so far – the comments passed at the first round of talks have had a profound impact on the player’s attitude.”
The likes of Villa and Newcastle are going to be putting West Ham’s top six challenge under serious pressure next season.
Surely West Ham would not be so stupid as to strengthen a direct rival so considerably by selling Soucek to them?
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