Premier League football has been postponed until at least April 3rd (BBC). But what would happen if the Coronavirus outbreak ends up becoming worse than is expected? Could the entire Premier League season be rendered null and void? West Ham might just be hoping that that is the case.
Whilst many football fans will be frustrated by the halt in proceedings, it may actually be good news for the Hammers.
If things get worse, it is not unrealistic to suggest that the Premier League season could be cancelled and thus made null and void.
Football.London claims that it would be unwise to assume the option of cancelling the season entirely will not surface.
And if that does turn out to be the case, West Ham could be aided in their attempts to sign Tomas Soucek on a permanent deal.
Czech has already really impressed
He has really impressed since moving to the London Stadium. The 6ft 4in workhorse has added so much to David Moyes’s side. Power, energy and tenacity are key components of Soucek’s game.
And he is already a big hit amongst the West Ham fans.
The Hammers signed the 25-capped Czech Republic international on loan in January, and according to the Guardian, they had to pay a £3.5 million loan fee to make the deal happen.
The Guardian also claims that West Ham could sign the midfielder permanently for a further £13.5 million in the summer.
Meanwhile, when speaking to Czech media outlet Ruik, Slavia Prague’s ‘team leader’ Stanislav Vlcek has confirmed that Tomas Soucek’s loan move to West Ham will ‘automatically’ become a permanent one if the east London outfit avoid relegation this season:
“The first task is staying up. West Ham have a very tough schedule. We hope that West Ham will stay up because of Tomas. If they do, Tomas’s loan would automatically turn into a transfer. In the event West Ham go down, Tomas would return to Slavia and his future would then be discussed. As far as I know from the boys, Tomas is excited about the new gig in terms of the fans and the facilities. I hope he stays up and builds a strong position at West Ham like he did at Slavia.”
Could the Hammers actually benefit from the season being cancelled?
So, in a roundabout way, the potential threat to Premier League football could actually aid West Ham.
The east London outfit are in real danger of being relegated down to the Championship this season.
If the season were to be cancelled, however, the Hammers will obviously remain in the top division, and thus would be able to sign Soucek permanently.
It’s a long shot. But something certainly worth thinking about.
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