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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.

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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”

Blackburn midfielder David Dunn has welcomed reports that Rovers could be interested in signing unsettled Stoke City striker James Beattie this summer.

Beattie has been told he can leave the Britannia Stadium should Stoke receive an offer in the region of the £2million they paid Sheffield United to sign him 18 months ago.

The 32-year-old has been out in the cold at the Potters since reports of a mid-season bust-up with manager Tony Pulis.

Beattie has been linked with a return to Ewood Park, where he started his career with a handful of appearances before moving on to Southampton.

Dunn, who himself left his first club only to return three years ago, is excited about a possible reunion with the bustling striker.

“I think the way we play he could be a good addition to the squad, so hopefully something might get sorted there,” he said.

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“I’m sure James is pretty keen on coming back home, but it depends on how much money the manager’s got and if he needs to shift a few around. We’ll wait and see.”

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Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Michael Kightly has confirmed that he faces a race against time to try and be fit for action at the start of next season.

The 24-year-old missed most of Wolves' first season back in the Premier League due to injuries and he is currently fighting back from tendon problems in both of his knees.

He told the Express & Star:"I don't want to set too many targets. I'd like to be back at some stage of pre-season, but it won't be the start of it.

"I'm feeling a lot more positive now and looking forward to cracking on with pre-season. I'd hope to play some part of a game in pre-season.

"But this injury is quite intense and something you can't rush back from. I've been out too long now to rush back and suffer a setback. To go back straight into that would put me back.

"Hopefully I can play some part of a pre-season friendly.

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"The rehab has been going well and the specialists are really happy. I had another injection a few weeks ago and had to rest it for a couple of weeks.

"Other than that, I've been working hard with the physios and have progressed massively."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Ashley Young is hoping he has done enough to earn a new long-term contract with Aston Villa.

The 25-year-old winger has made 130 appearances for the Midlands club following a £12million move from Watford in January 2007 but has just 12 months remaining on his existing deal.

"Of course, if it comes about I'm more than happy to stay at the club," he said when asked if a new contract was in the pipeline.

"I'm delighted with how things have gone. I've enjoyed my time here, I've learned a lot since I've come in and I've got a lot more to learn."

Young scored in Monday's 3-2 pre-season victory at Peterborough United and has been pleased with Villa's preparations for the new campaign.

He continued:"The boys are getting their fitness there and it showed here, we're trying to feel our way into it and we'll be looking forward to the start of the season.

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"Of course we always set ourselves targets at the start of the season.

"We always look to do better than we did last season. We're going to sit down before the season and hopefully, fingers crossed, we'll do that."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

A new season and a fresh beginning for Liverpool under experienced manager Roy Hodgson looked like it was going to get off to the perfect start at Anfield on Sunday afternoon. The usually unconvincing young striker David Ngog was at his clinical best to fire his side into the lead against fierce rivals Arsenal, an advantage which Liverpool managed to hold onto until ninety minutes had passed and extra time had arrived. The party was spoiled however when the usually-reliable Spanish shot-stopper Pepe Reina fumbled Marouane Chamakh’s shot, diverted off the post, into his own net.

Just when they looked to be banished, the demons of last season suddenly came flooding back like a dagger through the heart in time added on. Problems evident in the old command were again exposed and uncovered. Liverpool’s chronic lack of width, Ngog’s unreliability- after the youngster missed a gilt edged chance to double his side’s lead from six yards and an inability to grab three valuable points from one of the league’s top sides all spring to mind. Yet despite the late bitter blow in Hodgson’s first Premier League game as Liverpool manager there were lots of signs to suggest that things could be looking up for Kopites this season.

Despite Joe Cole receiving the first red card of his career on his Premier League debut for Liverpool just before half-time, Hodgson’s men fought hard and defended admirably to grab a point from the game. With Arsenal dominating the first-half they were expected to step up a gear in the second and make full use of their numerical advantage. However it was Liverpool who surprised the visitors and Hodgson must be given credit for rallying his troops, despite Cole’s shock sending off, and sending them out for the second-half with a new lease of life. The Gunners would have been expected to punish the home side further after the half-time oranges and Hodgson could have easily got himself on the losing side in his Anfield opener.

Former Chelsea player Cole will be bitterly disappointed for managing to get himself sent-off  and could now be banned for up to three games. Despite excelling in pre-season and wasting no time in convincing his new team-mates of his talents on the field, the same old question marks remain over Cole’s inability to follow instructions. Joes Mourinho grew frustrated by the England international’s failure to follow a game plan and former manager Carlo Ancelotti cited similar reasons in refusing to renew the 28-year old’s contract at the end of last season. While the pair did not like Cole’s attacking instincts it’s obvious that Hodgson does, handing his new No.10 the free role behind Frenchman Ngog, a position he relished at West Ham. Yet a failure to make an impact on the game saw Cole chasing lost causes all over the pitch and a lack of control saw him lunge out at Arsenal’s new summer arrival Laurent Koscielny by the corner flag. Cole still has work to do if he is to prove his doubters wrong and become a hit at Anfield.

Hodgson continued to use the 4-2-3-1 system deployed by former manager Rafael Benitez against the North London side, dropping Steven Gerrard into a deep-lying position in midfield alongside the surprise inclusion of want-away star Javier Mascherano, who was occupying the defensive role. Hodgson’s inclusion of the Argentine skipper suggests he is by no means guaranteed a move away from Merseyside this summer and could yet play a major role in Liverpool’s season. Daniel Agger’s inclusion in an unfamiliar left-back role highlights Liverpool’s inability to conclude a deal for a left-sided full-back this summer and this must be a priority over the coming weeks. Meanwhile new signing Milan Jovanovic was industrious on the left, almost a carbon copy of the man occupying the right-wing Dirk Kuyt. The Reds will need more inventiveness on the wings in order to break down more stubborn sides this season but the Serbian served his purpose against the free-flowing Gunners by nullifying the rampaging Bacary Sagna at right-back.

The home side will take positives from going into the lead despite being a player short and for keeping Arsene Wenger’s side at bay for such a long period of time. Yet they will be disappointed by the equaliser and will hope the mistake will not set the tone for the rest of the season. A win with ten men would have been a dream start for Hodgson but a point gives Liverpool a platform to build from this season. There has been a number of changes at the club this summer and work still has to be done before the end of the transfer window. While Liverpool may be some way off challenging at the top this season it is difficult to read too much into the first game of the season that neither side wanted to lose. Cole’s likely ban will disrupt his settling-in period at the club and detract from this side’s efforts to become familiar with a slightly tweaked system from the previous regime. Gerrard may yet find himself back in an advanced forward role behind Spanish striker Fernando Torres who completed the last 15 minutes in another positive piece of news for Hodgson.

Liverpool showed plenty of fight and commitment for their new manager, something which was lost at times during Benitez’s final months at the club. Hodgson will take heart from knowing he has the backing of his players as they move forward together and attempt to improve on last season’s dismal campaign.

Like this article? Then follow this author by subscribing to his RSS feed or follow the latest Liverpool news on Twitter. Alternatively you can read some more articles below-

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Liverpool must avoid transfer pitfalls

Board shake up could be positive for Liverpool

Torres’ decision a victory for the purists

Speaking at a press conference ahead of tomorrow’s friendly with Hungary at Wembley, England coach Fabio Capello attempted to explain his team’s abject performance in South Africa by blaming tiredness as the main reason for their second round exit to Germany.

“South Africa wasn’t good but we did not play at the same level that we played in qualification. When you play a World Cup competition, you have to arrive in really good physical condition.”

Capello’s claims that the England players didn’t arrive into the tournament “in really good physical condition” is due to a belief that the pace and intensity of the Premier League took its toll on the England players and left them too fatigued to perform to their potential. However, on closer inspection, this proves not to be the case as players such as Cesc Fabregas, Dirk Kuyt and Carlos Tevez all featured regularly for their clubs and performed excellently for their respective countries during the World Cup.

Despite missing the last six games of the season due to injury, Fabregas featured 36 times for the Gunners in all competitions last season and managed to be a huge impact substitute for Spain in South Africa, coming off the bench in the final to set up Andres Iniesta to score the decisive goal against Holland. Similarly, Dirk Kuyt has become a mainstay in the Liverpool side since signing for Feyenoord in 2006 and played an astonishing 53 times last season, along with starting all seven games and scoring one goal for the Dutch in their run to the final.

Like Kuyt and Fabregas, Tevez played regularly for his club yet found tiredness no obstacle to his performances in South Africa. Tevez played outstandingly in Argentina’s World Cup campaign, scoring twice against Mexico in the last-16 and displaying all of the pace, tenacity and power in his exploits with the national team that we have become accustomed to during his time in the Premier League.

Capello’s argument is further undermined when you look at the squad of the eventual World Cup winners Spain whose team is made up of players who have played a similar number if not more games than England’s flops.

In order to improve the future fitness of his England players, Capello has pointed to the possibility of a winter break being introduced to the Premier League but admitted that implementing such a plan would prove difficult. Capello said later on in the press conference:

“It is impossible to find a break in winter, but we have to change something before the next tournament. If the players are physically fit in Poland and Ukraine it won’t be so hard. Just a rest would help.”

Capello points to the example of the Bundesliga’s winter break as the reason why Germany “are always in good condition at World Cups” but the German league’s winter break means that while the teams do get a month off during December, it still means that the players will be playing the same number of games, albeit to a more condensed schedule. This means that if anything, the players playing in the German league will be more tired than their English counterparts.

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The use of tiredness as an excuse for England’s World Cup failure is Capello’s attempt to paper over the more serious cracks that have afflicted England in both the in the run-up and in the tournament itself. Let’s hope Capello’s new look squad can inject some much needed vigour into England’s lethargic play.

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There was a time when virtually everyone barring United fans liked Manchester City. The perennial under-achievers who were always in the shadow of their more successful brother were one of the most popular ‘second’ teams in England. Now though, the exact opposite is the case. When Manchester City lost against Sunderland on the weekend it provoked delight amongst most neutral football fans, a few years ago the manner of their last minute defeat would have been greeted with sympathy, there was none of that on show on Sunday. Have Manchester City now gone from being one of the nations favourite clubs, to one of the most hated?

For years it has been the other side from Manchester that has arguably been the most hated side in England. There is nothing like success to grate ones opponents and United’s unparalleled triumphs in the last couple of decades have undoubtedly made them one of the most loathed clubs in England. Leeds United have also been strong contendors for the title, with many fans still having a negative view of the club since the Don Revie glory years in the 60’s and 70’s, when what was considered by many to be ‘dirty’ tactics helped drive them on to great victories. Since the clubs relegation though, the dislike of Leeds has died down, primarily because they no longer pose a threat for the top English honours.

Chelsea provoked a similar backlash to what Man City are receiving now when Roman Abramovich took over the club in 2003. The club went on to experience a level of success that far outstripped anything they had done in the past, but they were seen by many to have bought their way to the silverware they won and there were very few neutrals who were glad to see them lift a long awaited league title. More recently though, the antipathy shown towards Chelsea has lulled, perhaps in part due to the club not spending the vast amounts it did in the past, and the fact that before last season they had not won the title for three years.

Like Chelsea, Manchester City are experiencing a level of animosity from rival fans that is unmatched in the clubs history. City’s massive expenditure and almost limitless financial backing has lifted them to the upper echelons of the Premier League, but has also plumbed them to a new nadir of unpopularity. The one thing rival fans cannot stomach is another club’s success, it is far easier to like a team when they are not posing a threat to your club. What fans dislike about Man City is the fact it looks like they are going to be challenging for the top honours in the next few years, and the manner in which they have done this via vast amounts of spending, means they have become a club that is now widely unpopular in England. Another factor is jealousy, what Everton or Aston Villa fan for instance could honestly say they are not envious of the wealth of Manchester City, and the success that will in all likelihood be brought to the club.

Manchester City probably have a few more years to go before they match Manchester United in the ‘most hated’ stakes. So far they have not reached the Champions League or lifted a trophy under their new owners, and this is what is holding back the full force of invective from rival fans. Should they lift a major honour in the next few seasons though, you can expect that force to be released in full and Man City will be right up their with United. City fans though, will not mind one bit if it means success is brought to their club, and who can honestly blame them.

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A welcome addition to the Premier League’s Wag arena – Click on image below to view gallery

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Birmingham City boss Alex McLeish has backed Nikola Zigic to prove his talents in the Premier League.

The Serbia striker joined the Blues in a £6million summer transfer from Valencia but has been restricted to mainly substitute appearances in the early days of his St Andrew's career.

Zigic opened his account during last week's Carling Cup victory over MK Dons and McLeish is confident the capture of giant striker will prove to be a good piece of transfer business.

"Nikola is still adjusting to the English game. It is hurly burly, 100 miles an hour," he explained.

"On the continent he is used to balls being laid up to him and cushioning it and laying it off and keeping the play moving.

"It is a totally different game to the Spanish system and also the Serbian system as well.

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"The players tend to get lazy as well when there is a big guy in the team because they just launch it forward.

"But we've got to try to get into the right positions to give him the right service."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

It would be an unenviable task to find a Bolton fan that is not a fan of their battering ram centre forward Kevin Davies. He has been an integral part of their side in recent years with his robust approach aiding them through both chances created and not spurning chances when they come his way. Whenever you think of Bolton, he is perhaps the first player that springs to mind, but whilst his professionalism is to be admired, the decision to include the 33 year old in the latest England squad is a little more puzzling.

The England fans surprise was most likely on a par with Davies’s himself when Capello announced his selection earlier this week as he can’t have seriously expected to play any further part given the “new era” that the country is supposedly entering with the likes of Adam Johnson, Joe Hart and Jack Wilshere being promoted in an attempt to restore the faith of the fans left so bitterly disappointed in South Africa.

It may well be conceived that the selection of young Newcastle striker Andy Carroll would have offered more a step forward than Davies who may well be pulled up with frustrating regularity by international referees for his all action style and use of his body. Another question that may well be raised is whether Capello’s mystifying decision will mean England change their style of play. I’m sure England fans would not want to pay £60 to go to Wembley and see long balls to Davies and players feeding off of it.

However, whilst the decision leaves fans bewildered Davies, understandably, was delighted.

“I was in the expanded squad a couple of times but even when a few players pulled out and I thought I had a chance, someone else got called up,”he said.

“From then on I decided never to get my hopes up. You can’t let it affect you. You’ve always wanted to play for England and if he (Capello) has been watching and you’ve scored you’re like, “wow, you never know…” I just didn’t want to put myself through that again. My half-brother’s Jamaican so I might try for them.”

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And his delight is hardly surprising given the fact that if he plays a part in the game against Montenegro next week then he will become the oldest player for 60 years to make his England debut.

The decision may have been dictated by the failure to lure in-form Villa striker Emile Heskey out of international retirement but ultimately Davies inclusion is probably a step backwards.

Bought as a replacement for the out-bound world player of the year, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gabriel Obertan never had it easy when he joined Manchester United. Hit with a string of injuries and being burdened with the task of replacing Ronaldo, the pressure seemed too much for the young Frenchman.

But after what looks like a summer in the gym and some regular football this season, the 21 year could yet prove to be another Ferguson master-stroke.

It’s almost been a coming of age for Obertan. At a time when United really needed their youngsters to prove themselves at the top level, the likes of Chris Smalling, Hernandez and Obertan himself have all shown that they are more than capable.

Dismissed as a spent force without Ronaldo and an in-form Wayne Rooney, United have gone about their business quietly, recruiting and coaching these young players in the hope they will turn into the next best thing. Obertan falls into that category and his progression has been an impressive rise from an unknown quantity to a first team regular.

Now comes the real test for the winger. Antonio Valencia is out for months and Nani’s groin injury could sideline him for a few weeks at least. The United manager seems to favour Obertan as a second striker, working off Berbatov, but his pace and ability to beat players could prove vital for Ferguson’s team at a time where his squad is stretched to breaking point.

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The Frenchman can now use this opportunity to push himself further up the ranks at United. Primarily used as a fringe player, a run in the first team looks likely given the current injury list.

You would hardly call him a last resort, either. An impressive second half display against Wolves in the Carling Cup was rewarded with a start in the Champions League game at Bursaspor. During both games, glimpses of what Alex Ferguson must see in training everyday were beginning to show and his goal was taken with real assurance.

In the aftermath of ‘Rooney-gate,’ many may have been surprised to hear Ferguson declare United unwilling to do any sort of business in the January transfer market. Although, this was not so much of a shock when you consider the unwavering trust he has in his younger players and also in his own judgement.

How often have we heard the Scot say that Manchester United is about developing talent and turning players into the best in the world?  He will argue the club is going through another transition period, with a crop of players who are on the verge of creating history.

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If this is the case, Obertan could be leading the charge of yet another trophy-winning Manchester United side. He may not be a multi-million pound buy or a world icon, but in Ferguson’s eyes, he is the answer to the void left by Mr. Ronaldo. Surely he won’t win anything with kids again, will he?

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