Speaking recently on The Transfer Window podcast, Ian McGarry revealed that he has been told West Ham United would ‘happily take the money’ for Declan Rice in the January transfer window.
Since making his debut as an 18-year-old back in 2017, Rice has gone on to establish himself as a crucial part of the West Ham first-team setup, making 121 appearances for the club, chipping in with three goals and providing five assists along the way.
So far this season, the £49.5 million-rated 21-year-old has been ever-present in the Premier League for David Moyes’ side, captaining the Hammers in all but one of their 11 league fixtures, while averaging a highly impressive WhoScored match rating of 6.99 – ranking him as the club’s fourth-best player in the top flight.
However, while the club managed to fight off the interest in Rice of Chelsea manager Frank Lampard in the summer transfer window, according to McGarry, who was speaking on a recent episode of The Transfer Window podcast, West Ham’s position on the sale of Rice has softened somewhat.
He said: “The word I got from the agent who has been mandated to sell players out of Stamford Bridge, when asking them about Chelsea’s chances of recruiting Declan Rice, was, ‘I think the owners of West Ham would happily take the money for Rice if they can get the right price for him in this window’.”
Do you think Rice will leave West Ham in January?
YES
NO
TIF Thoughts on Ian McGarry’s comments regarding Declan Rice…
Considering it was reported West Ham were demanding £80 million in order to part with Rice in the summer transfer window, in our opinion, it would appear unlikely that the club would be asking for much less than this figure, taking into account how well the 21-year-old has been playing this term.
In addition to this, the West Ham board received a great deal of criticism from West Ham players and fans alike in the summer window for selling homegrown talent Grady Diangana to West Bromwich Albion, and it would seem unlikely the board would want to incur the wrath of the West Ham faithful once again by selling Rice for anything less than an offer they simply couldn’t refuse.