West Ham United have completed their fourth signing of the summer transfer window, with Alex Kral joining on a season-long loan deal.
West Ham United have made an official statement to confirm that they have secured the services of Alex Kral on a loan deal for the remainder of the 2021/22 season. The Hammers also retain the option to sign the 23-year-old Czech midfielder permanently next summer.
Alex Kral is bringing an end to a two-year stint with Spartak Moscow, having joined the Russian club from Slavia Prague in the summer of 2019. The move worked quite well for the Czech Republic international, who made 60 appearances for the Red and Whites while also chipping in with six assists in the process.
In addition to making swift progress at club level, Kral also became a regular feature for his national side, turning out four times at UEFA Euro 2020 this summer. His growth over the last couple of years seems to have caught the attention of one of the biggest Premier League clubs, with West Ham United showing an interest in him a month ago.
As the transfer deadline approached, the Hammers appeared to have stepped up their efforts to sign Kral, with the possibility of a Deadline Day loan move opening up. The move has now come to fruition, with the 23-year-old making a temporary switch to West Ham, who do have the option to sign him permanently next summer.
Thought we’d leave this introduction to our #CzechMates… ??? pic.twitter.com/XJ8Y3iJqJs
— West Ham United (@WestHam) August 31, 2021
Upon the completion of Kral’s transfer, David Moyes appeared to be visibly elated. The West Ham boss said, “I am delighted to welcome Alex to West Ham United. He will provide good competition in the centre of midfield. He is another young, talented player who we feel has a big potential and will be capable of adapting to the demands of the Premier League.”
“We’ve brought him in on loan initially and, hopefully, over the course of the season he will make a valuable contribution, particularly with our busier schedule of fixtures. Alex is another established international player with the Czech Republic, and we hope he has similar characteristics and hunger to that of Tomas and Vladimir.”
Just like in Tomas Soucek’s case, Alex Kral arrives at the London Stadium on loan, with his move making a lot of sense, seeing as Mark Noble continues to be phased out. And if he can make enough of an impression, the Czech midfielder could well be the long-term successor for Declan Rice, if he leaves next summer.
For now, Kral is the fourth summer signing for West Ham and the second on Deadline Day after the arrival of Nikola Vlasic. It will be interesting to see if he follows in the footsteps of compatriots Soucek and Vladimir Coufal to enjoy success with the east Londoners.
