Sparta rebuilding from the rear

Wholesale changes
With Sparta boasting the worst defence in the Czech top flight, coach Stanislav Griga has made radical changes, bringing Tomáš Řepka back from West Ham United FC after an eight-year exile from his home country. Slovakian internationals Michal Hanek and Radoslav Zabavník have arrived from FC Dinamo Moskva and PFC CSKA Sofia respectively while Václav Drobný returns from his loan spell at FK Jablonec 97.

Sparta leavers
Having finished the autumn campaign in ninth place, Sparta have allowed Adam Petrouš to join BB Ankaraspor, Pavel Pergl to head to 1. FC Dynamo Dresden and Martin Petráš to go to Scotland with Heart of Midlothian FC. However, with defender Zdeněk Pospěch pushed up front, Griga's side have suggested a return to form, beating NK Dinamo Zagreb 3-0 in a recent friendly.

Slovan move
Sparta remain 15 points behind league leaders FC Slovan Liberec, but their slender title chances received a boost with the news that Liberec have lost Filip Hološko, who scored six goals in the autumn, to Turkish team Manisapor. Second-placed FK Teplice have also sold their best striker, with Jirí Mašek following Jablonec's star forward Tomáš Michálek to another Turkish club, Malatyaspor.

Bosnian player
However, Liberec have drafted in new recruits, with Lithuanian attacker Tomas Radzinevičius acquired from FK Suduva along with another forward, the promising Filip Dort from FK Chmel Blšany. Teplice, meanwhile, have lured Bosnia-Herzegovnian striker Edin Džeko from second division MFK Ústí nad Labem to fill the gap left by Mašek's departure.

Slavia business
Finally, third-placed SK Slavia Praha are preparing for their UEFA Cup tie against US Città di Palermo without midfielder Martin Latka, who has been loaned to Birmingham City FC. Meanwhile, Martin Zbončák has switched to FK SIAD Most, and Patrik Gedeon to FC Vaduz in Liechtenstein.