Real Sociedad’s Carlos Soler says West Ham United helped him further improve his game.
The Spain international is a product of Valencia’s academy and spent six years with their first team.
He left Mestalla for Paris Saint-Germain in September 2022 and played 1,530 minutes from 35 matches in his debut season. In his second season, PSG appointed Luis Enrique.
The former West Ham man played under his compatriot for the national team but didn’t enjoy regular minutes under Enrique during the 2023/24 season. Therefore, PSG sent him on loan to the Premier League side in August 2024.
Julen Lopetegui was then manager at West Ham, and Soler played 18 matches under his orders. The Hammers parted ways with him in January 2025 and appointed Graham Potter as his successor.
Soler ended up with a goal and an assist in 1,487 minutes from 33 matches for West Ham. Below are his stats per game from the Premier League.
|Premier League stats||
|---|
|Big chances created per season|6|
|Key passes|0.2|
|Tackles|0.5|
|Interceptions|0.3|
|Possession won [final third]|0,2|
|Ball recovery|2.1|
In December 2024, the 29-year-old said he was happy and wanted to continue at West Ham. However, he raised doubts in March 2025, and the English club eventually decided against making his stay permanent.
Earlier this month, Soler explained his time at West Ham wasn’t successful as it coincided with one of their worst seasons.
“At PSG I had a more secondary role, and at West Ham. I was only there for one season, and it coincided with one of the club’s worst seasons,” he said.
Different take on West Ham spell
Friday’s edition of AS has published an interview with Carlos Soler. He gives a different perspective on how his time with West Ham helped him develop his game.
The Spaniard has four goals and two assists from 29 matches so far for Real Sociedad. AS ask whether they were speaking to ‘the same Carlos from Valencia in terms of form?’ and this is when he talks about West Ham.
“No, because the Soler from Valencia was younger, less mature, and less experienced. It’s true that at my age then, I was already one of the team’s captains. I’d been an important player for many seasons,” he said.
“I took the step of going to Paris. I was there for two years, then I went to London, and that has helped me evolve as a player. Perhaps not in terms of playing time. That’s not what I would have expected going to Paris or London, but in every way. Leaving home, being alone with my partner, having different experiences. Being in other leagues, in other locker rooms, has helped me a lot.
“This version, I don’t know what to call it, ‘Carlos Soler 3.0,’ has nothing to do with the first one from Valencia. I understand the comparisons in terms of statistics, minutes played, etc., but I sincerely believe that the current version is an improved one.”
Soler’s contract, value and agent info
The Spaniard has signed a contract until 2029, with an option for another year with the La Liga side and agency AS1 manages his future.
Although Soler’s playing time has improved, his valuation hasn’t. Transfermarket valued him at €20m when he joined West Ham and dropped to €18m in May 2025.
Since joining La Real, it dropped to €12m and further to €8m in December.