West Ham United are considering a move to sign Spartak Moscow midfielder Alex Kral as David Moyes eyes midfield reinforcements.
West Ham United and Czech players have built up quite a connection with each other in recent years. And according to The Telegraph, David Moyes intends to further strengthen the Czech presence in his team, as the Scot eyes a summer swoop for Spartak Moscow star Alex Kral.
A defensive midfielder by trade, Kral is one of three players being targeted by West Ham this summer in their bid to shore up their options in the middle of the park. His current contract at Spartak doesn’t expire until 2024, but it appears the Hammers are determined to snap him up, which may serve as a potential boost for Chelsea.
The Blues are believed to be one of the top contenders in the pursuit of Declan Rice. They are even reportedly in talks with the highly-rated Englishman. And with that in mind, West Ham’s desire to sign another holding midfield does indicate that the club is perhaps planning for life without their prized asset in the coming future.
That said, it remains unlikely that Kral is being targeted as a direct replacement for Rice. Although a holding midfielder, the 23-year-old is primarily a utility player who can play at centre-back and even as a number eight if required. He was notably a part of the Czech contingent that featured in Euro 2020, although the midfielder was playing second fiddle to the likes of Tomas Soucek and Tomas Holes.
Kral has been a part of the Spartak side since 2019 when he joined the club for a fee of €12 million. He has since notched up over 50 competitive appearances for the club, notably helping them finish second behind Zenit St. Petersburg in the Russian Premier League last season.
From a sporting perspective, Kral can serve as a backup for his national teammate Soucek or perhaps even a competitor for the ageing defensive trifecta of Winston Reid, Craig Dawson and Angelo Ogbonna. Despite his contract, the Czech international is unlikely to cost a fortune, making him an ideal investment for the club.
As far as West Ham’s other targets are concerned, the club are involved in negotiations with West Brom over Matheus Pereira. They have also expressed interest to sign Danish international Jens Stryger Larsen, so these are certainly exciting times for the Hammers as they look to compete in Europa League next season.
