Broadcaster Alan Brazil has claimed on talkSPORT he is “baffled” at the contract offer West Ham have made to Declan Rice.
It has been widely reported, including in the Sun that the 19-year-old defender is currently on £3,000-a-week and has been offered a deal that would swell his pay by £12,000-a-week to £15,000-a-week.
Brazil is insistent this is way below the market rate for a player starting regularly for West Ham.
“This is what baffles me about football with the vast amounts of money around,” Brazil said on the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast programme on Tuesday morning (25 September). “There’s no doubt this kid is a top player, or going to be a top player.
“Why take the risk with £12,000-a-week? I’m not saying give him £50,000-a-week. £12,000-a-week is nothing in football terms. The guys at Man City and United who haven’t even played yet are on more than £3,000-a-week.
“It’s a no-brainer. They have to increase or take a huge gamble and renegotiate at the end of the season when he will want £50,000-a-week or maybe more.”
? "There are kids at City and United who haven't even played yet on more money than Declan Rice…
? …they must offer him more or it's a big, big gamble."
?? Alan Brazil says #WHUFC must offer Declan Rice more than the reported £15,000-a-week or risk losing him! pic.twitter.com/1ab6IhBxAD
— talkSPORT Breakfast (@TSBreakfast) September 25, 2018
OPINION
West Ham wouldn’t be alone in trying to lowball a homegrown player who has come through their ranks. Part of the problem is Rice joined the Hammers from Chelsea in his mid-teens and has an affiliation with the club that big-money signings, from home or abroad, do not have. The Hammers are taking a big risk with Rice, who will have been told by his agent he could get triple the £15,000-a-week reportedly on the table. Certainly, the young defender is the real deal. He made a huge impression when breaking through under David Moyes and has continued his upward trajectory in recent weeks in an unfamiliar central midfield role. The problem for West Ham is that, the longer there is a stalemate, the less negotiating power they have. With the player out of contract in 2020, he can hold off until next summer on reaching an agreement on an extension. If he is playing regularly, he will hold all the aces.