David Moyes’ rumoured plans to land further signings from the Czech Republic could see West Ham United unearth another dynamo in Sparta Prague striker Lukas Julis.
What’s the word?
According to Claret & Hugh, Moyes is planning to continue exploring the Czech Republic for potential signings after being impressed by how Vladimir Coufal and Tomas Soucek have taken to the Premier League.
The Irons paid £19.1million to turn Soucek’s loan permanent this summer after a successful six-months in east London, in which the midfielder scored three times in the post-lockdown period and has since started all six Premier League fixtures this term.
Coufal latter followed Soucek’s path by joining the Hammers in the closing stages of the transfer window for £5.4m, and has gone on to earn three starts in three along with Moyes’ admiration.
“I thought Vladimir was brilliant [against Leicester City],” Moyes told West Ham’s official website. “The biggest thing about him is his experience, his knowledge. That was the reason we thought he would be helpful for us at this time.
“We saw someone who had played in a lot of big games – Champions League games – and who plays for his country. He also came really highly recommended from Tomas [Soucek], so that helped us make our minds up.”
Moyes now intends to explore the Czech Republic for a striker and a centre-half after missing out on former Slavia Prague ace Michal Frydrych, who joined Wisla Krakow for £750,000.
Antonio 2.0: Lukas Julis
In Moyes’ search for a new striker from the Fortuna Liga, the West Ham boss would be well advised to consider the division’s top-goalscorer Julis who has bagged six in six for Sparta Prague – two more than any other player in the Czech top-flight thus far.
Julis has scored in all but one of his appearances to date, as his efforts help to fire Sparta Prague to the top of the league after an unbeaten start.
His form continues a strong run in front of the goal from the tail end of last term, when the 25-year-old hit six in nine Liga fixtures while on a half-season loan with SK Sigma Olomouc before returning to the Generali Ceska Pojistovna Arena.
The former Czech Republic U21s international’s talents saw Julis lauded by Sigma Sporting Director Ladislav Minar upon his arrival, who told Denik: “Compared to our players, his mobility is a bit greater. The boys are not so typologically different, but we believe that a certain mobility will help us.”
Julis’ mobility at the top of the attack would be a welcome trait at the London Stadium, where Moyes lauds the input of Michail Antonio for the Englishman offers a fierce workrate the Scot does not feel he gets from Sebastien Haller.
But Antonio and Haller are the only senior strikers at West Ham presently, strengthening Moyes’ need for another offensive dynamo, and would be supported well by the £405,000-rated Julis if the Chrudim-born forward is targeted in 2021.
AND in other news, David Moyes needs a “terrific” West Ham man he expects “much more” from to step up now more than ever.