West Ham consider £40million transfer move for Czech Euro 2020 hotshot Schick

West Ham are exploring a big-money January move for Czech hot-shot Patrik Schick.

The Hammers already have a trio of Czech stars after buying Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal and loaning Alex Kral.

Czech billionaire and energy tycoon Daniel Kretinsky also owns 27% of the East London club.

Now moves are underway to bolster David Moyes' squad next month with a new striker.

Bayer Leverkusen frontman Schick, 25, is one of the leading options after excelling for club and country.

Schick caught the eye at the Euros in the summer with five goals for the Czechs including a spectacular long-range effort against Scotland.

The frontman has continued his fine form this term in the Bundesliga with 16 goals after outscoring even Erling Haaland.

Only Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski has more goals.

Schick's heroics have helped Leverkusen to fourth after finishing outside the top four the last two seasons.

It means West Ham could have to pay up to £40million for the forward, who is under contract until 2025 after joining from AS Roma in 2020.

But ambitious Moyes wants more firepower to ease the burden on Jamaican international Michail Antonio, who has eight goals for the club in all competitions.

The Hammers suffered a frustrating 3-2 loss to Southampton at the London Stadium on Boxing Day, twice cancelling out Saints leads but eventually falling to defeat to Jan Bednarek's 70th minute header.

For Vladimir Coufal, the concession of three goals was the biggest blow of an afternoon he wants to put quickly behind the east Londoners, with a trip to Watford on Tuesday.

"It was a difficult afternoon and difficult to accept," he said. "We lost at home and it's not acceptable to concede three times.

"Twice we were back in the game and it shouldn't happen, but we have to keep going and be focused on Watford.

"We have had a good season and are still up in the table but we have to take back our basic things - do them properly and we have to be better defensively, as well as being more clinical in attack.

"These are basic things."