Vladimir Coufal has been in impressive form for West Ham United ever since his arrival.

The Hammers signed the Slavia Prague right-back for £5.4m in October, and he has gone on to become a genuinely indispensable member of the squad.

Coufal has made 18 starts in the Premier League this season, laying on three assists, and was impressive again on Wednesday night.

The Hammers beat Aston Villa 3-1 and Coufal played a key role in shackling Jack Grealish and ensuring that he could not properly impact the game.

Coufal took to Twitter after the game to express his happiness at the result, writing: “Sometimes I look like psycho on the pitch but always do everything for the team. Everyone was brilliant today well done lads !!! Keep going IRONS.”

And ex-West Ham United Employee, the noted Irons insider, has hailed the 28-year-old as one of the club’s best signings in recent years.

Quote tweeting Coufal’s tweet, he wrote: “In terms of the value of the markets at different era and what we paid etc. He has got to be one of our best ever signings! Very close to being my favourite ever right back!”

GIVEMESPORT’S Harry Sherlock says…

This has been a genuine bargain.

Coufal is hard as nails, an excellent ball carrier, and just a great all-round defender.

To spend just over £5m on the 28-year-old's signature and then see him become one of the best defenders at the club shows that the Irons may finally have got their recruitment right.

Along with Tomas Soucek, the two Czech Republic internationals have become first-team stars under manager David Moyes.

These are two terrific signings, brought in at a touch under £25m combined, and Ex is absolutely right to hail Coufal as one of their best acquisitions of recent years.