Vladimir Coufal and Tomas Soucek have recommended Czech Republic teammate Adam Hlozek to West Ham United but David Moyes has reservations about the striker, as reported by The Athletic.
Whether it’s Czech players (Alex Kral) or players playing in the Czech league (Abdallah Sima, Jan Kuchta), it looks like the Hammers will be returning to a familiar hunting ground for potential additions to a squad which exceeded expectations while qualifying for Europe last season.
Moyes, it is reported, asked Coufal and Soucek to recommend prospective signings from their Eastern European homeland.
And both said the same thing: Get Adam Hlozek to the London Stadium.
There is a reason why Coufal and Soucek are particularly passionate about a teenage forward who, in the eyes of many, is the most exciting talent to emerge in the Czech Republic since a young Tomas Rosicky.
As recently as April, the Sparta Prague wonderkid became the youngest player ever to hit a hat-trick in the Czech top flight.
In total, he finished as the division’s joint-top scorer with 15 goals last season, even if he was restricted to just 19 games by a metatarsal fracture.
Can Adam Hlozek be West Ham’s new number nine?
Hlozek, who is understood to be valued in the region of £20 million, has also been linked with the likes of Bayern Munich, Juventus and a Borussia Dortmund side who snapped up another up-and-coming striking superstar in the shape of Erling Haaland back in January 2020.
According to The Athletic, however, it is not certain at this stage whether Moyes shares Coufal’s and Soucek’s admiration for the 18-year-old centre-forward, who played a minimal role in the Euro 2020 group stages.
The former Everton and Manchester United manager has concerns about whether Hlozek can immediately settle into the Premier League.
You only have to look at Fabio Silva’s struggles at Wolves following his £35 million move from Porto to realise that potential doesn’t always translate into end-product straight away.
Although Hlozek, unlike Silva, would arrive in England with a proven track record in senior football under his belt.
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