OPINION
While there have been plenty of talking points on the pitch when it comes to West Ham, there have also been plenty of things to discuss off-field – not least the future of midfield enforcer Declan Rice.
The 19-year-old has been one of the stand out performers for the Irons over the past couple of weeks, keeping the likes of Eden Hazard and Paul Pogba quiet as Manuel Pellegrini’s men have held off Chelsea and Manchester United to seal a draw and win respectively.
However, his emergence in the first team appears to have left him looking for a wage which reflects just that, and with some big money stars surrounding him in the squad, it is totally understandable.
Talks between the club, the player and his agent have reportedly been going on since last season but there is still yet to be a breakthrough, and it seems as though patience is wearing thin on the Hammers’ side as they prepare a take-it-or-leave-it offer.
Reliable Irons news outlet Claret and Hugh claim that the club have made an offer of £21,000-a-week – or £1.1million-a-year – as a base salary for Rice, with extra incentives, such as bonuses for appearances, to get him to commit, and that if he does not put pen to paper, then any future talks will be held off until the end of the season.
Quite frankly West Ham are shooting themselves in the foot with this offer, for it is a deal which suits no one.
The highly bonus-driven deal is not going to be as appealing to Rice as a big-money wage would be, and it does not really protect the club from suitors offering much, much more if he continues to impress in the vein of form he is in at the moment.
The ultimatum just means that Rice either has to accept a deal he might not be happy with, or reject it and stay on the money he is on until the end of the season – when he might well have impressed enough to seal a big money move elsewhere and leave West Ham ruing their loss.
Why they are unwilling to meet his demands is beyond anyone, for he is a top class talent with much more potential to come, and protecting such an asset with a high valuation wage is a no brainer.
This could be a move West Ham come to regret, for it benefits nobody at all.