Tomáš Souček has been one of the key figures at West Ham United since arriving at the club in 2020.
The Hammers initially took the midfielder on a loan deal from Slavia Prague in January 2020 and his stay was made permanent later that year.
Prior to joining West Ham, the Czech Republic international impressed for his former club in European competitions.
The 27-year-old scored for Slavia Prague against Inter Milan and Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League during the 2019/20 season. Without these displays, Slavia Prague would not have been able to earn as much from his sale. This is the view of their chief, Jiři Bilek.
Przegląd Sportowy interviewed the sporting director and when specifically asked whether Slavia Prague ‘would not have sold’ Souček to West Ham for €20m, Bilek said: “Probably, yes. Then, in 2019, we scored only two points in the group stages, but we kept up against the biggest clubs in Europe.
“We played bravely, without complexes and this was appreciated, and the value of the players increased, which we use to this day.
“Without that [European football], the quality of the staff would decline. Our goal is to play regularly and play well in Europe and then sell players.
“When I talk to foreign agents or representatives of western clubs, they are not interested in the Czech league, only how our player presents himself in the cups. So, for us it is crucial to be in Europe.”
Souček has started 12 games in the league for David Moyes’ side and has managed a goal and an assist in the process this season.
