West Ham have turned down a series of loan bids from Championship clubs for highly rated young centre-back Declan Rice, according to Football Insider.
The football news site claim that the Hammers are keen to keep hold of the 18-year-old, who has made such a strong impression since breaking into their first team this season.
Football Insider report that West Ham have rejected multiple loan offers from second-tier outfits, who include relegation strugglers Sunderland.
It is said that Rice is a favourite of manager David Moyes, who has started the teenager in the team’s last two games against Tottenham in the Premier League and Shrewsbury Town in the League Cup.
Football Insider has previously reported, back in November that West Ham plan to reward his progress with a new bumper contract.
OPINION
With West Ham fighting to avoid relegation, Moyes needs all the decent players he can get. Rice has quickly established himself as a reliable performer following a series of precocious performances that have marked him out as a serious talent. Only another teenage Hammers centre-back who can also fill in at defensive midfield, Reece Oxford, Rice is seen as a first teamer right now, making 16 appearances in all competitions this season, nine of which have been starts. It is unsurprising that there is a stampede of interest from Championship clubs, including struggling north-east big hitters Sunderland, but West Ham have big plans for Rice, and want to keep their key squad men for the big tests ahead in the second half of the season.