West Ham United have released Vladimir Coufal, who was a key player while David Moyes was manager of the London club.

Vladimir Coufal has admitted he would prefer to stay in the Premier League amid Everton’s reported transfer interest.

The defender was one of David Moyes’ key players during his stint as West Ham United manager. Signed in 2020, Coufal helped the Hammers to Europa Conference League glory in 2023. The London outfit also reached the Europa League semi-finals and quarter-finals in 2022 and 2024 respectively.

However, West Ham have opted against extending Coufal’s deal. The right-back played 25 times in the 2024-25 season but slipped down the pecking order after Graham Potter arrived as head coach.

Coufal, 32, has been linked with a potential reunion with Moyes at Everton this summer. The Toffees have a big transfer window, with Moyes declaring his intentions to return the club to the upper echelons of the Premier League.

What’s been said

And speaking while on international duty with the Czech Republic, Coufal says that he would rather remain in England despite being unsure where he’ll be playing next season. Via CT Sport, he said: "I have no idea where I will be playing next season. But I am calm and at ease. That is football life.

“Of course, I have some wishes, but they probably won't come true. Of course, I have some preferences. It would be ideal to stay in England, that's probably the absolute priority. But at the same time, there are certainly other options somewhere warmer, like Spain or something like that, I would like. We'll see. I'm not talking about returning to the Czech league at all yet.

"I have to say it was very emotionally intense. I would compare it to when the girl you love leaves you. So it's really hard. You just want to stay with her, you love her, but she wants to go in a different direction. So it's so unpleasant. But I played there at a decent level for those five years, so I think I left a legacy there. After all, the reactions are incredible, I didn't expect it. It was very emotional.”

Everton plans

Everton are set to make several signings this summer, but it remains to be seen whether Moyes wants to bolster the right-hand side of defence.

After returning as manager, Moyes made the astute decision to deploy Jake O’Brien in the role. Despite being a natural centre-back, O’Brien thrived in the position.

But Ashley Young turned down a new contract to remain at Goodison Park while club captain Seamus Coleman has still to sign a new deal. That is despite Moyes insisting he wanted Coleman to remain in a playing capacity.

There are some doubts around Nathan Patterson, who has struggled since his arrival from Rangers in January 2022. Patterson has had injury problems and has failed to nail down a starting spot when fit. Therefore, Moyes could look to add depth to the position with a player that he knows well. Coufal would add experience, which is being lost by the exits of Ashley Young, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Asmir Begovic.

However, given that Coufal is aged 32, Moyes could prefer to look for a younger option is one is available.