Delargeinho
Player Valuation: £30m
The recruitment we've done this summer has been excellent, and we have actually managed to avoid the 'PL experience = dross factor' by bringing in really good footballers.
Soucek is a functional footballer who, despite his physicality, plays in a West Ham midfield that often gets dominated. His passing is very poor, in the bottom 7% of PL midfielders AND bottom 7% for progressive passes. He is clocked statistically (and this should come as no surprise to anyone who has ever actually watched him) as one of the slowest players in the Premier League - and in Europe.
His biggest strength is arriving late into the box - something we cannot really have him doing in our side, where we need a sitter. He turns 31 during the season and would command a big fee for his age and ability.
More red flags than Anfield. So much better out there and I bet there's a lot cheaper out there too. If the manager insists on a 6 with PL experience, let's find him a better one. Or find him PL experience in the other positions we are recruiting for.
If one midfielder I have wanted from West Ham, it would have been Edson Alvarez. But he's in Turkey rn unfortunately.