West Ham star 'desperate' to stay in Premier League as Everton and Leeds United show interest

The 32-year-old right-back, who has made 177 appearances for the Hammers since his £5.4m move from Slavia Prague in 2020, is out of contract at the end of the season. His departure comes despite being regarded as a fan favourite and club stalwart.

Coufal’s son, Niclas, recently joined West Ham’s academy, and the Czech defender is keen to stay in the country for his sake, TalkSport reported.

Leeds United and Everton are among the clubs reportedly monitoring his situation. Former West Ham manager David Moyes, now at Everton, remains a strong admirer of Coufal, while Leeds are looking to add experienced top-flight players after securing promotion.

Fulham, who saw multiple bids for Coufal rejected on the final day of the January transfer window, may also revive their interest.

Coufal was a regular starter during his first four seasons at the London Stadium but has seen his role reduced this year following the arrival of Aaron Wan-Bissaka. The 27-year-old joined West Ham from Manchester United in a £15m deal and has made 36 appearances this season - the second most in the squad - while Coufal has featured 23 times.

Coufal joined West Ham just six months after international teammate Tomas Soucek. The pair helped the club win the Europa Conference League and reach the Europa League quarter-finals last season.