West Ham United midfielder Tomáš Souček has insisted he’s not committed to retiring at the club, despite suggestions that was his plan.

The 31-year-old has had a turbulent few months in London. First the Hammers were relegated to the Championship, then there was a disappointing World Cup.

During that World Cup, he sustained a long-term injury – and ankle injury – which saw him miss the first eight games of the Championship campaign. It was also something of a turbulent summer.

Like most players at West Ham, reports linked him with a move away from the London Stadium. At one point, an exit looked certain. Instead, he decided to stay with Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.

He’s since signed a new contract at the club. That will keep him tied to the Hammers until 2028. It’s led to suggestions that he could end up retiring at the club. But he’s not committing to that idea.

“We want to bounce back right away; that’s why I stayed,” he told IDNES.

“You know, I used to think I’d be like many others—stay for two, three, maybe four years, and then move on. But now, I’m grateful for all these years.”

Retirement?

He would actually like to return to former club Slavia Prague at some point. But nothing is written in stone at this point.

“It might have been written somewhere, but I never said it,” he added.

“I have a two-year contract; we’ll see what happens after that. I’ve always wanted to return to Slavia, but I need to see how my body holds up and what my performance level is like.

“I don’t want to return just based on past achievements, nor do I want to look too far ahead. I’m looking at the next month or two at most—nothing beyond that.”

International choice

The other big decision the West Ham man had to make was about his international future. After a difficult World Cup, it was unclear whether he would continue with Czechia.

But a quick phone call with Santi Denia – and a brief visit during the last international break – has changed his stance.

“When I hung up the phone, I felt like putting on the Czech jersey and playing—even though I was still hobbling around on crutches,” he concluded.

“It’s great that the atmosphere has completely changed; I really want the Czech people to start loving their national team again. Of course, we’ll need to see results in the Euro qualifiers come March, but it’s a step in the right direction. If I can join the squad next time, I’ll be happy to do so.

“I can see that the players will respect Santi, and that the respect is mutual. He won the guys over immediately with this—and me, too.

“I was looking forward to meeting him in person; I spent two days with the team before the match against England in London, and I came away with a fantastic impression of both the coach and the entire coaching staff. It crossed my mind: ‘Now, everything is exactly as it should be.'”