Alex Kral is due to arrive at Rush Green on Friday for his first training session since joining West Ham United on Deadline Day from Spartak Moscow, according to football.london.
The midfielder was yet to travel to east London after his last-ditch switch while with the Czech Republic squad. He started their World Cup qualifier against Belarus with Tomas Soucek, while featuring as a substitute as Jaroslav Silhavy’s side lost to Belgium on Sunday.
Kral returned to the Czech Republic starting line-up in an attacking midfield role during a friendly with Ukraine on Wednesday. West Ham now expect the 23-year-old to train for the first time since his late-window capture on Friday. Just one day before facing Southampton.
West Ham also expect Soucek and Kral’s fellow compatriot Vladimir Coufal to join training at Rush Green on Friday. As will Ukraine’s Andriy Yarmolenko and Spain’s Pablo Fornals, after they likewise featured for their countries on Wednesday.
Said Benrahma, who represented Algeria during the September international break, had returned to east London for training on Thursday. He took part in the sessions under David Moyes’ watch alongside summer signings Kurt Zouma and Nikola Vlasic.
Zouma and Vlasic will be pushing for a place in the starting line-up when the Hammers visit Southampton on Saturday. The St Mary’s fixture will likely come too soon for Kral to make his West Ham debut. And could instead look to Thursday’s Europa League Group Stage tie with Dinamo Zagreb, as the Irons start their European tour at last term’s quarter-finalists.
Kral to feature from the bench for West Ham debut at Southampton?
Moyes could always look to introduce Kral from the bench against Southampton for his West Ham debut, however. Depending on how the 25-cap international looks in training on Friday, the Scot may feel he can play some role.
Any doubt in his fitness or understanding of the Hammers’ game plan and Thursday will be Kral’s best chance, though. The 23-year-old will offer Moyes domestic and international European experience in the Europa League following his signing, initially on loan.
Kral joined West Ham for a £3m loan fee, with a £12m option to buy rising to £17m with add-ons. The potential £20m transfer will automatically become an obligation to buy if he starts a set number of games. With Spartak Moscow looking to cash in after losing both of their Champions League third-round qualifying legs with Benfica, with Kral starting each.
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