Tomas Soucek could well be named captain in the absence of Mark Noble if the Czech Republic international stays at West Ham, according to reports in England.
Noble is unlikely to play every game next season as his career winds down and it is believed Soucek is seen as a future leader by members of the club’s coaching staff.
The 25-year-old has only played four games for the Hammers, but he will sign on a permanent basis for £13m at the end of the campaign if the Hammers stay in the Premier League.
Supporters on Twitter can’t understand why Soucek would be given the responsibility:
Rice is off then…
— NewhamPele10 (@NPele10) March 18, 2020
Rice will be fuming
— Olly⚒ COYI ⚒ terrorizing george cult (@ollyh2003) March 18, 2020
only because rice will be leaving ?
— Louie ⚒ (@whulouie) March 18, 2020
…because sadly Rice will be gone in the summer.
— marshall knutt (@Marshal_P_Knutt) March 18, 2020
Rice has got a lot to learn before he becomes captain.
— Sonny ⚒ (@SonnyyyM10) March 18, 2020
Bit of a kick in the teeth to rice ogbonna and antonio. I like what I’ve seen of Soucek, but I didn’t like sound of his contractual demands to stay with the club. Bit of an arnie-ego
— Rik-o-las (@OriginalSchlik) March 18, 2020
Not a fan of this really like him but ogbonna deserves it and so does rice even though he’s young by the time noble retires he’ll be old enough
— BowenSZN (@BrilliantBowen_) March 18, 2020
surely not lol
— Stephen George Lott (@stephenlott) March 18, 2020
Bye rice ??♂️ laughing stock of a football club
— DanKelleher⚒ (@WestHamKezza91) March 18, 2020
Embarrassing considering he’s been at the club for 4 minutes
— Ouimet (@Caution_Cole) March 18, 2020
As fans point out, it would have implications for Declan Rice as well. While some will say the 21-year-old is simply too young for the role, others will assume that it means the club are intending to sell him.
Manager David Moyes has already raised the prospect of offloading the midfielder in recent months.