Tomas Soucek has made his mind up about what he really wants after reflecting on his West Ham legacy amid serious interest from both Everton and Leeds United.
There have been few players more loved by West Ham fans than Tomas Soucek over the years.
Yet the towering Czech continues to divide opinion over his place in the team, which has prompted the interest from his old boss David Moyes at Everton and newly-promoted Leeds.
Graham Potter has been clear about his desire to change the way West Ham play.
Midfield has been the biggest problem for the Hammers for some time now after the club failed to properly replace the attributes Declan Rice brought to the side.
Hammers favourite Soucek divides opinion amid links away
Despite being one of West Ham’s most consistent performers since his arrival in January 2020, Potter actually froze Soucek out of the starting XI towards the end of last season.
It was the first time in Soucek’s five-and-a-half years at West Ham that he had been demoted to a bench role.
The situation gave rise to increased speculation Moyes wants a reunion with the player he brought to east London as Everton go into a new era at a new stadium.
MORE WEST HAM STORIES
After all Toffees boss Moyes has not only named Soucek among his best ever signings as a manager but also credited him as a big reason he was awarded an OBE.
When Leeds sealed a return to the big time their name entered the equation alongside Everton too.
David Moyes embraces a wounded Tomas Soucek after he scored in West Ham's comeback victory over Sevilla in the Europa League
Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images
Moyes was clearly a big factor, though, when a top source close to Hammers majority owner David Sullivan recently claimed Soucek is ‘odds-on’ to join Everton this summer.
When the 30-year-old was relegated to the bench by Potter, a leading journalist said the West Ham boss is open to selling Soucek due to ‘doubts about his energy levels’ in midfield.
The four-time – and reigning – Czech player of the year showed a fantastic attitude to fight his way back into the Hammers starting XI.
That did not stop speculation that West Ham were looking to offload him given their desperate need to raise funds for new signings.
Soucek tells Everton and Leeds his final decision
Especially when his best friend Vladimir Coufal was released.
Now the West Ham star has taken some time to reflect on his legacy at the club and decide what it is he really wants amid the interest from Everton and Leeds.
And Soucek has his final decision clear.
In an honest new interview with West Ham’s website, Soucek says he is happy to embrace a new role as one of the main leaders in the dressing room.
In a nod to the fact he knows younger players will be coming up on the rails behind him, Soucek has also vowed to stay at West Ham and help bring them through as a “positive influence”.
Soucek will be well aware of the links to Everton and Leeds.
West Ham head coach Graham Potter shares a laugh with midfielder Tomas Soucek
Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images
Soucek embraces new role after reflecting on West Ham legacy
But he says he wants his legacy to continue at West Ham and to be remembered as a role model for the players who will eventually succeed him.
“I just want to be a positive influence, because that’s all people need sometimes,” Soucek told West Ham’s website.
“I’m a person who wants to see everyone do well and become the best player and person they can possibly be on and off the pitch…
“I’m here to help and to make the players around me be better.
“It’s one of my big motivations, to help not only the senior players but the Academy players.
“When you’re a senior player and you see young players, there are only two ways you can go about it. You can either be negative, or you can be positive and give them as much confidence as possible so they can perform to their best on the pitch, and I want to get them as confident as possible so they can flourish and be one of us in the future.
“I remember the players who really wanted to help me when I was with Slavia Prague, but I also remember the players who were negative, and I don’t want to be that person because it can be a bad influence.
“I want to influence everyone as positively as possible, and I want to give them everything I had in the hope that they can achieve their own footballing dreams.”
When looking ahead to the new Premier League season, Soucek has nothing but the Hammers on his mind, leaving no clue about a potential move away to Everton or Leeds.
“I want to improve myself and be the heart of the team in a positive way, and want to guide us to good performances as a team and individuals,” Soucek added.
“I really believe the head coach wants to get the best from us and really wants to make the team become one group, and now we have to show the quality of the individual players we have.”
That very much sounds like Soucek is going nowhere, so Everton and Leeds will have to look elsewhere for a new midfielder.
Whether either can find one as dedicated, consistent, hard-working and selfless as Super Tom remains to be seen.