This £5 million ace is now “one of the best signings” for West Ham.

For this “ridiculously consistent” Moyes man, it was zero to hero.
After winning the Premier League twice in a row, West Ham United’s atmosphere has improved.

How erratic is football these days? David Moyes, the mastermind behind such glorious triumphs at the London Stadium, is under fire for how long he has been in charge following a string of disappointing outcomes, and his pragmatic style of play has sparked some controversy.

Nevertheless, the current Europa Conference League champions appear to have shaken off their recent slump as they recover seventh place in the standings, two points behind Manchester United. They will face Freiburg in the Europa League last 16 this week.
The Hammers, led by Moyes, signed all three of the goal scorers (Kurt Zouma, Tomas Soucek, Edson Alvarez) and assist producers (James Ward-Prowse, Mohammed Kudus, Jarrod Bowen) after defeating Everton at Goodison Park the previous game.

Although his contract expires at the end of the current campaign, the 60-year-old has carved out a promising future for himself, and the players are a testament to this. His influence has been unparalleled in the club’s recent history.

West Ham’s best additions under David Moyes
Particularly in the years before Moyes took over, West Ham had a rather erratic transfer history, having spent money on well-known players who came with great promise and hoopla but left with nothing more than a whine.

Two notable names that immediately come to mind are Felipe Anderson and Sebastien Haller, although it is by no means a comprehensive list. Moyes’ signature approach to transfer strategy is its focus and polish.

In December 2019, Bowen was reappointed, and a month later, he signed a £20 million plus add-on deal with Championship team Hully City. In the same window, Soucek arrived on loan and finished a permanent deal costing approximately £18 million in the summer.

Although Declan Rice wasn’t officially signed by Moyes, the England player was developed from the academy to win awards and signed a £105 million deal to join Arsenal last summer.

The proceeds from the sale of the midfield talisman were used to bring in promising new players like Alvarez, Kudus, and Ward-Prowse, all of whom will be crucial to the team’s success going forward.

All of this is a deceptive means of honoring Moyes’s endeavors, beyond the norm and perception in east London. Vladimir Coufal, who still doesn’t get half the credit he deserves outside of Irons realms, has to be one of the smartest and most underappreciated purchases of all time among these successful ones.

Why Vladimir Coufal was signed by West Ham
For just over £5 million, West Ham acquired right-back Coufal from Slavia Prague in 2020. The Czech international joined fellow countryman Soucek in the English metropolis.

Coufal had Champions League experience and an exciting tenacity down the flank, whereas Ryan Fredericks had only started six Premier League games for West Ham in the 2020–21 season after being forced out during the team’s 4-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers.

His quickness and energy have been particularly crucial in enabling Bowen and, more recently, Kudus to thrive. These attacking wingers depend on their goal-scoring ability and, therefore, also need a diligent right-back to grant them permission to sweep inside and inflict shell shocks on opposing goalkeepers.

Since making his debut for United a few seasons ago, the £35k-per-week star has made 140 appearances overall. Although he has not yet scored a goal, he has contributed 19 assists and shown himself to be a capable and committed teammate.

The stats from Vladimir Coufal’s season

A diminished sense of fluency and verve on the domestic front demanded a more resilient, danger-thwarting approach, and Coufal only contributed one assist in nine Conference League starts last season, despite playing a significant part in West Ham’s journey toward silver-laden success.

The Czech Republic international, who has contributed six assists from 25 Premier League games this season, has flourished in a role with more attacking success.

He has averaged two tackles, one crucial pass, 1.4 interceptions, 4.3 ball recoveries, 2.7 clearances, and 4.2 successful duels per game, according to Sofascore.

Presenter Dan Woffenden contends that Coufal is among the team’s best acquisitions in recent memory, and it’s hard to argue against that. Given the small transfer fee and the “ridiculously consistent” football Coufal has given West Ham, he represents an excellent value for money investment, and he has a trophy to cement his reputation as a successful signing.
Coufal’s well-rounded skill set has made him an invaluable asset for Moyes. According to FBref, he is among the top 13% of full-backs in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 11% for interceptions, the top 6% for clearances, and the top 16% for aerial duels won per 90.Kieran Trippier of Newcastle Unitedand Pedro Porro of Tottenham Hotspur are the only defenders in the Premier League to have exceeded his assist total this season. This is remarkable considering that both teams are among the top 10 in the league for corners taken. In contrast, Coufal has turned one corner.
It is perhaps somewhat understandable that Coufal’s market value has not increased during his tenure at West Ham, but there is no denying that under Moyes’ direction, the 31-year-old has developed an incredibly underappreciated career for himself.

Coufal provides evidence that taking the less-traveled route can frequently lead to brilliant success—a consistent, steady stream of information flowing in the correct direction.

With their next acquisitions, West Ham would do well to emulate this one. Not quite