West Ham United are set to strike gold amid reports that they will offer Tomas Soucek a new contract...

What's the word?

According to club insiders Claret & Hugh, the Irons' hierarchy are expected to hand the 26-year-old a bumper extension to his current £67k-per-week deal at the London Stadium.

It's thought that the Czech Republic midfielder will be offered the contract at the end of the current campaign and that he has been buoyed by the arrival of his international and former Slavia Prague teammate Alex Kral on transfer deadline day.

Soucek joined the Hammers on a permanent basis last summer on a four-year contract for around £15m, per Sky Sports, having impressed during an initial loan spell in east London.

Strike gold

Upon Soucek's arrival, manager David Moyes waxed lyrical about his qualities to the club's official website, saying:

"I think that he gives us a lot of different qualities, but most importantly he fits the profile of the player we want to bring to the Club. He is young and hungry but with an established pedigree and proven talent.

"He was captain of Slavia Prague, he's played as a defensive midfielder but he's scored a lot of goals as an attacking midfielder as well. At the moment he ticks a lot of boxes."

Indeed, that has certainly been the case since.

The 6 foot 4 beast, who is currently valued at £36m by Transfermarkt, ended the 2020/21 campaign as West Ham's joint-top goalscorer on ten goals, whilst he was also their highest-rated player (7.36), via WhoScored.

Soucek led the team for aerial duels won (6.2 per game) and tackles (2.1 per game), and wasn't far behind for interceptions (1.6 per game) or average passes (42.3 per game), via WhoScored.

This merely highlights the influence he has in the squad and really goes to show why he has already earned a new contract.

The Czech star was lauded as "unplayable" by former Everton winger Yannick Bolasie and it is such form which has earned interest from some of Europe's top clubs, including Bayern Munich.

West Ham can strike gold by tying him down to a much-improved and longer-term contract this season. Perhaps they ought to do it sooner rather than later, especially if he continues to perform at such levels.

Moyes may well be about to deliver another masterclass in east London.

AND in other news, ExWHUemployee drops exciting behind-the-scenes West Ham claim...