West Ham 'frontrunners' to sign player that's already teammates with Tomas Soucek | OneFootball

West Ham are among the clubs eyeing a move for Czech international Tomas Chory

Nuno Espírito Santo will be aiming to guide West Ham back to the Premier League at the first time of asking in 2026/27.

The Hammers suffered relegation to the Championship with an 18th-place finish in the top flight last season, coming two points behind 17th place Tottenham Hotspur.

The London outfit are back in the second tier for the first time since 2012, when they earned promotion through the play-offs in the season immediately following their relegation.

It’s been a busy start to the transfer window for the club, who agreed the sale of Mateus Fernandes to Spurs in an £85 million deal.

Crysencio Summerville is reportedly set for the exit as well, with further departures likely to follow.

West Ham have until 1 September to complete any remaining business, with incomings likely to arrive in the weeks between now and then.

West Ham target Czech striker Tomáš Chorý

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It has been reported by Czech outlet inFotbal that West Ham are targeting a move for Tomáš Chorý.

The 31-year-old’s future with Slavia Prague is currently up in the air after he helped the team to a second consecutive league title last season.

A decision on the player’s future is expected shortly after he has fallen out of favour due to an incident in the Prague derby earlier in the year.

West Ham are considered the front-runners for the striker, who contributed 17 goals and five assists from 23 league appearances in 2025/26.

However, they face competition from the likes of Slovan Liberec and Viktoria Plzen, as well as Legia Warsaw.

Chorý signed for Slavia Prague in 2024, and has scored a total of 31 league goals for the club across the last two seasons. He also has 24 international caps and seven goals, playing twice at the 2026 World Cup.

How West Ham fans feel about Tomáš Chorý signing

West Ham fans have claimed that a move for an older player from the Czech Republic is the exact kind of signing they typically make.

However, the club have been warned against his signature due to attitude problems, even if he might be a good player.

Concerns have also been raised regarding his lack of pace, suggesting that West Ham need greater speed from their strikers next season.

But some supporters are optimistic that he could work well with Jarrod Bowen, and that he wouldn’t just be another Niclas Füllkrug signing.

West Ham begin the Championship season away to Burnley on 16 August.

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Tomáš Chorý would be a risky move for West Ham

Chorý’s goal scoring record for Slavia Prague is indeed very impressive, and that could convert well to Championship football for West Ham.

However, adding a slow, target man 31-year-old to their forward options wouldn’t be the most inspiring move, or the best use of their resources.

Chorý could be a strong addition for a promotion push, but longer-term he could end up going the same way as many West Ham strikers of the past, such as Fullkrug or Sebastien Haller.

And given the concerns raised about his attitude, it might be best for the Hammers to avoid this deal for the time being, even with his Czech international teammate Tomáš Souček at the club already.