West Ham's disappointing season is perhaps no surprise when you consider the decline of certain players within David Moyes' squad in recent years.

Vladimir Coufal is perhaps the prime example of a player who was once key to the Hammers' success, as he has struggled immensely with his performances so far this campaign.

Considering the 30-year-old's rapid decline, Moyes should now be looking to get rid of the Czech defender this summer, as it seems clear that he is no longer good enough to be starting week in, week out.

Should West Ham get rid of Coufal?

When West Ham signed Coufal from Sparta Prague in 2020 for just £5.4m, the right-back looked to be an incredible bargain, as he took no time to adjust to the demands of the Premier League.

He would make 34 appearances in the 2020/21 campaign, contributing seven assists and averaging a superb 6.95 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

The Czech Republic international's minimal fee and strong performances saw him quickly established as a fan favourite at the London Stadium, with the defender describing himself as a "psycho" on Twitter after a win against Aston Villa.

Sadly, he has never been able to replicate that first season in West Ham colours, as the 2021/22 campaign saw him average a far-less-impressive 6.56 rating from WhoScored, with that ranking dropping further to 6.53 so far this term.

He has also averaged far fewer clearances (1.8 vs 2.6), key passes (0.9 vs 1.3) and passes (37.6 vs 31.2) compared to his first season at the London Stadium, which emphasises his decline from both a defensive and attacking perspective.

Coufal's disappointing rating sees him ranked as the tenth-best performer at West Ham so far this season, while he has no goals or assists to his name, with the lack of attacking contributions from the Hammers' defence perhaps another reason why they have struggled to score this season, with just 23 goals to their name in the top flight.

The right-back's market value, according to Transfermarkt, has already dropped this season and considering his contract is set to expire in the summer, the £5.4m deal to sign him two years ago suddenly doesn't look as good a deal.

Although it isn't clear which division the Hammers are going to find themselves in next season, or whether or not Moyes remains in a job, the Scottish manager would be foolish to offer Coufal a new deal considering his rapid decline in the past few years. Instead, he must ensure the defender is ruthlessly ditched.