West Ham United and midfielder Tomas Soucek are reportedly progressing with talks regarding an extension of the Czech Republic international's contract with the Hammers.

What's the latest?

According to Football Insider, the east London outfit are confident that a deal will be reached between both parties to extend Soucek's contract at West Ham after talks were opened last week, with the 26-year-old's deal set to expire in 2024.

Speaking to Football Insider, former Leeds goalkeeper and pundit Paddy Kenny said:" It would be massive statement for West Ham to tie him down. It would be a statement of intent as well after they didn’t sign anyone in January.

“Let’s see if they get this one done because you never know with things like this.

“West Ham will want it done quickly I’m sure. It would be a boost for the whole club.”

Since joining the Hammers from Slavia Prague in July 2020, the Czech has been a revelation in the middle of the park for David Moyes' side and therefore it's no surprise that West Ham want to tie the midfielder down to a new deal.

After a stellar debut campaign in claret and blue last season, it was reported by The Athletic that Manchester United were already planning a swoop for the 26-year-old last summer, however, nothing serious materialised.

Although, you wouldn't put it past United or another elite club to attempt a swoop for Soucek this summer, hence why the Hammers are keen to extend the midfielder's deal.

West Ham must extend Soucek's contract

With West Ham still in the hunt for Champions League football, it's vital that Moyes has as many players fit and focused as possible, with Soucek certainly one of the Scotsman's key assets.

The Hammers are sat in fifth and are just one point behind fourth-placed Manchester United. However, games in hand won't be doing them any favours.

United have one game in hand on the east Londoners whilst city rivals Arsenal in sixth are level on points (42) and have three games in hand, meaning that a top-four finish is currently well out of their hands.

As well as the Premier League, Moyes' side are still in the FA Cup and Europa League, with the final months of the season set to be hectic.

The turnaround at the London Stadium since Tomas Soucek's arrival is certainly remarkable. Just days prior to his move to the capital, the midfielder's current employers had secured Premier League survival on the final day of the season after a turbulent campaign.

Within the space of one season, the Hammers had gone from relegation fodder to pushing for Champions League qualification, eventually settling for a sixth-place finish last season.

During that campaign, the former Slavia man didn't miss a single minute of Premier League football, scoring ten goals in the process, making him a kingpin in Moyes' bid to secure a European spot.

This season has been a similar story, with the 26-year-old having missed just two league games through injury. Moreover, Soucek's significance was highlighted during his absence particularly with the Hammers losing 3-2 to struggling Leeds at home.

The Czech's rise at the London Stadium has been meteoric and West Ham will want to ensure that the midfielder plans to stay put for the coming seasons.

In other news: Moyes can finally axe "terrible" £40k-p/w flop as West Ham plot bid for £8.5m "animal"