West Ham have been handed demands of £36,000-a-week in crunch contract talks with the representatives of defensive enforcer Declan Rice this summer, according to Claret and Hugh.
The reliable Hammers news website claim that the club have offered the young talent, who established himself as a firm favourite among the fans after breaking into the first team last season, £18,000-a-week, with an extra £10,000 for every senior appearance, but it is stated that those representing him in talks are looking for double the basic wage.
Rice’s current contract is said to be just £3,000-a-week, but with new manager Manuel Pellegrini reportedly unlikely to make Rice a regular starter, the Irons are reluctant to increase his wage tenfold.
Opinion
The Hammers need to stand their ground over this one, for it would be bad precedent to be handing out a massive wage after just one good season with a handful of appearances under Rice’s belt. If he was given £36,000-a-week, then any youngster who had established himself on the fringes of the first team could also be demanding the same sort of money, and the club would have little room for negotiation. The £18,000-a-week might seem small in comparison to what some of the top earners in the Premier League are picking up, but Rice and those representing him have to remember where they stand in the big picture at the London Stadium. He is by no means a first team star just yet, and although the fans might love him as a homegrown talent, the club have to be financially savvy, especially after all the spending they have done in the summer window. It remains to be seen whether Rice will sign on the dotted line, but with these sort of demands, they could rumble on for some time yet.