According to a report by Football Insider, Vladimir Coufal will officially become a free agent on July 1 after West Ham United confirmed his departure. The situation has alerted several Premier League clubs, with Everton, Fulham, and Leeds United vying for the 32-year-old full-back’s signature in the summer transfer window.
Vladimir Coufal has been one of the most dependable full-backs in the Premier League since joining West Ham United from Slavia Praha in October 2020. A native of Ostrava, the veteran full-back spent his formative years in Czechia, passing through the academies at FC Banik Ostrava and SSK Bilovec before graduating from the youth division at FC Hlucin.
However, the 32-year-old rose in prominence during his spell with West Ham United, going from strength to strength in the last half a decade. Coufal has turned out nearly 200 times thus far for the East London club while chipping in with 20 assists. However, the Czech full-back’s spell with West Ham will end this summer, with the situation capturing the attention of Everton, Fulham, and Leeds United.
Everton’s interest in the veteran full-back is understandable. The Toffees have parted ways with Ashley Young, while Seamus Coleman is in the twilight of his career. In addition, Nathan Patterson has struggled with fitness issues during his spell with the Merseyside outfit. So, several candidates, including Georgios Vagiannidis, have emerged on Everton’s radar, with Coufal also a viable target.
Meanwhile, Fulham’s interest in Vladimir Coufal makes sense. The West London club may part ways with Kenny Tete this summer. In addition, Timothy Castagne is not reliable enough to be the undisputed first-choice right-back for Fulham. So, the Cottagers have set their sights on several right-backs, including Josip Juranovic, with Coufal also an option worth considering.
As for Leeds United, the Whites are keen on heavily reinforcing their first-team squad in the summer transfer window to sustain the challenge of remaining in the Premier League beyond the 2025/26 season. So, they are keen on bolstering their right-back options, with Coufal emerging as a viable target.
Apart from Everton, Fulham, and Leeds United, Burnley and Sunderland are also keen on signing the 32-year-old Czech full-back. So, it will be interesting to see where Coufal lands as he ends his half-decade-long association with West Ham United.
