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West Ham United: Dean Jones hints at potential Declan Rice exit

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Image for West Ham United: Dean Jones hints at potential Declan Rice exit

Transfer expert Dean Jones has suggested that Declan Rice is ‘very open to leaving’ West Ham, during an appearance on The Football Terrace’s ‘The Done Deal Show’.

The claim was made by Jones as speculation surrounds Rice linking him with a move away from the London Stadium, with Chelsea seemingly interested in the Hammers star.

Jones suggested that he originally thought that Rice would want to stay at the Hammers and play in Europe with them, but he’s been told that that is not necessarily the case.

“I spoke to someone actually over the weekend who knows Declan pretty well and I said to him, where’s his head at? I’ve always been of the belief that Declan Rice just won’t leave West Ham right now and he said actually, you would be surprised.

“He said, ‘I think he is leaning towards being very open to leaving if the right offer comes along.’ So that’s interesting in itself, I think Declan Rice probably realises that this is a fantastic opportunity for him, in the form that he’s been in, breaking into the England starting XI.”

TIF thoughts on Declan Rice leaving West Ham…

Rice has had quite the year really, hasn’t he? First, he helped guide West Ham to a sixth-placed finish in the Premier League and has now made himself a regular starter for England under Gareth Southgate.

West Ham fans will surely be desperate for Rice to stay as they prepare for a European campaign next season in the Europa League.

The 22-year-old midfielder featured 32 times for the Hammers in the Premier League this season and received a WhoScored rating of 7.01 and as a regular for the Hammers, it is likely to require a large sum of money for West Ham to allow Rice to depart, with David Moyes saying ‘it would take ‘Bank of England money’ for the club to sell the 22-year-old.

It would seem a weird time for Rice to move to Chelsea, but with his childhood best mate Mason Mount there, it’s an additional persuasive tool for Thomas Tuchel to use to potentially persuade Rice to join the European champions this summer.

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