Katerina Svitkova could barely contain her delight at securing a transfer to the Barclays FA Women’s Super League with West Ham United.
The attacking-midfielder became Matt Beard’s third signing of the summer on Thursday when the 24-year-old completed a switch to the Hammers from Slavia Prague.
The history associated with West Ham, along with the calibre of the team she is joining and the Barclays FA WSL’s standing as one of the best women’s divisions in world football all helped convinced Svitkova that a move to England with the Irons was the right one for her.
“I’m very excited to join West Ham,” Svitkova told whufc.com. “It’s a very big club, with a big history and in a very nice city. I hope I can help the Club to achieve their goals and I hope we will be successful together.
“I wanted to join West Ham because there are very good players here and I love the coaching staff. They have been brilliant, and I like their work. I am very excited to be with them and I think I can improve with them.
“I also think that the Barclays FA WSL is the best competition in the women’s game. I think England has the best players and it was my dream to play in England.”
I'm very excited to join West Ham. I hope I can help the Club achieve their goals and I hope we will be successful together.
Kateřina Svitková
Svitkova moves to West Ham after seven years of success with Slavia Prague; a period in which the midfielder won the Czech Footballer of the Year award three times, lifted five league trophies and finished as the top division’s leading goalscorer twice.
Svitkova also gained international recognition when her Champions League quarter-final equaliser against Bayern Munich – a wonder-strike from 35 yards – was nominated for the Goal of the Season award.
She laughed: “I think everybody saw this goal! It was my biggest success. I was sad to not get through those Champions League quarter-finals, but it was an amazing game and we played in front of 8,000 people, which was the biggest game for Slavia Prague.
“I just think I’m a good teammate and I can really help the team to score goals, whether that means passing or scoring goals myself. I hope I can get the opportunity to play here.”
Svitkova is the second Czech player to join West Ham from Slavia Prague in 2020, with David Moyes’ men’s first-team acquiring international midfielder Tomas Soucek on an initial loan back in January.
The new women’s signing is hopeful that she can follow Soucek’s path in proving a hit at her new club.
“Tomas is the best player in the Czech Republic, and he was amazing for Slavia Prague,” Svitokva said. “He was a real leader in the team, and he has been playing really well since he came here. I like his style and it’s great that he’s doing so well here, in England. I hope I can do as well as he has.”
With the deal signed, Svitkova is now looking forward to playing in front of her new supporters, once it is feasibly safe to do so.
“I’ve heard that the West Ham fans are the best in England and so I’m really excited and looking forward to meeting you. I hope that we love each other!”
