Premier League

Spurs fans should be delighted if Rice deal is done

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Image for Spurs fans should be delighted if Rice deal is done

OPINION

Fireworks would be guaranteed if Tottenham are successful in signing Declan Rice from West Ham in January.

The two clubs are bitter rivals, historically in terms of their London rivals and in modern terms there have been frosty boardroom relations between the two clubs.

Scott Parker was the last player to move from West Ham to Tottenham, and the Irons board are unlikely to forget White Hart Lane chairman Daniel Levy pulling the plug at the eleventh hour on Emmanuel Adebayor’s loan move three Januarys ago.

It would be even more unpalatable for the Hammers faithful were rising star and academy product Rice to move from east to north London.

Is that now a growing possibility amid the contract stalemate between player and club that has left his long-term future in considerable doubt?

Bleacher Report claim in a transfer update that Tottenham “have touched base about the prospect of looking into a deal in the new year for the 19-year-old”.

Who can blame Spurs for expressing an interest in the versatile teenager, who has all the qualities to become a bona fide star of the Premier League for the next decade?

He has already established himself as a key member of the West Ham XI, firstly as a centre-back in the second half of last season and now as a midfield anchorman under Manuel Pellegrini.

The longer the player’s contract stalemate with West Ham continues, the more vulnerable the club are to losing one of their prize assets.

Rice’s public position is that he expects to sign a new West Ham deal, and would be very happy to do so.

Tottenham are waiting in the wings ready to pull off a spectacular transfer.

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