Why Adam Hlozek would be a good long-term signing for West Ham

According to claims from football website Claret & Hugh (h/t MSN), West Ham have been credited with an interest in highly-rated Sparta Prague forward Adam Hlozek.

The 18-year-old has been recommended to Hammers boss David Moyes by senior Czech Republic compatriot Tomas Soucek. Hlozek has been scouted extensively by several clubs across the continent over the past couple of years and has even turned down offers from Arsenal and Bayern Munich in the past. (Claret & Hugh h/t MSN)

Profile

A youth exponent of Sparta Prague, Hlozek made his League debut for his boyhood club during the 2018-19 season aged just 16. He has since carved out a massive reputation for himself as one of the brightest emerging talents in the Czech Republic, winning the nation’s Talent of the Year award in 2019.

Hlozek is yet to establish himself as a regular starter but has already caught the eye with his rapid development. The 18-year-old has amassed an impressive tally of 17 goals and 18 assists in 69 appearances in all competitions. His rise to prominence was rewarded with a senior international debut in 2020 and Hlozek has already been touted as the future of his nation’s attack for several years to come.

Putting things into perspective, Adam Hlozek ticks plenty of boxes to come through the door at West Ham as an excellent long-term signing. The Czech starlet has already started to deliver on his potential in his homeland and looks capable of achieving great things in his professional career.

West Ham can certainly do with another centre-forward in their ranks. Michail Antonio started the campaign on a bright note as the first-choice No.9 under Moyes after guiding the Hammers to Premier League safety with a flurry of goals towards the back end of last season. However, the 30-year-old has struggled with injuries over the past couple of months, forcing the manager to rely on Sebastien Haller.

Haller, though, failed to deliver the goods on a consistent basis. The Ivorian international only managed to find the net 3 times in 16 league fixtures this season before leaving for Ajax.

A potential deal for Hlozek, to that end, would represent a continuation of West Ham’s recent trend of unearthing hidden gems from the Czech top-flight. The Hammers have had a lot of success with their double raid on Slavia Prague for Soucek and Vladimir Coufal.

The 18-year-old is equally capable of operating as a centre-forward and on either flank. Hence, he would offer Moyes an option in multiple areas across the forward line.

Having said that, however, Hlozek probably needs a stepping stone to make a successful transition to the highly-competitive surroundings of the PL. West Ham should, therefore, loan him back to Sparta Prague to allow him regular game time for his development if a deal does materialise this month.

Read More

• Why West Ham should exploit John Lundstram contract situation
• Why West Ham should take a punt on Adam Armstrong in January

Verdict

Adam Hlozek has all the makings of evolving into a top-quality forward in the years to come but West Ham should be patient with his development if they do end up signing him. The Hammers have roped in talented youngsters like Jarrod Bowen following the appointment of Moyes and a deal for Hlozek would represent yet another coup for the East Londoners.