Dean Jones has been speaking on The Done Deal Show about Declan Rice’s future at West Ham United, appearing to suggest that keeping him looks impossible for The Hammers’ finances to handle.
David Moyes’ side managed to fend off any interest in Rice over the summer, and that will have been made easier by the fact that West Ham had Europa League football to look forward to this season – and perhaps that Rice would be captaining them into the majority of games.
Should West Ham sell Declan Rice?
Yes!
No!
Despite the England international still having at least three years left to run on his contract, that has not stopped West Ham from offering him new contract offers, only for the midfielder to reject every single one of them, which signals that Rice does not see his long-term future at the London Stadium.
Jones has been speaking about the interest there is in Rice and what it will take to keep him at West Ham.
He said: “There’s not anything particular in terms of talks, but basically, if West Ham are going to keep Declan Rice, they’ve got to almost put the club in financial trouble, because it’s such a big deal to now sign Declan Rice.
“Every big club in the Premier League wants him. There are even clubs, I’m told, abroad that are starting to look at him as the real deal. I think personally, he will stay in the Premier League anyway, so I don’t think that’ll come into the question.”
TIF Thoughts on Rice…
It certainly seems like West Ham are in a pickle over Rice’s future, especially with Jones’ comments – albeit a little tongue-in-cheek – suggesting that the offer they would have to put to the midfielder could potentially place the Hammers in financial ruin.
It’s also clear to see why, according to Jones, that there are reportedly so many clubs interested in Rice, as he is an England regular at the age of 22 years old, while in the Premier League, he’s performing week in, week out.
Rice is looking like the ultimate midfielder as he’s already won the most tackles out of anyone in the West Ham squad, however, he’s not just protecting the back four, he’s also influencing the game at the other end of the pitch, having also progressed the ball into the final third the most out of anyone in the team (FBRef), and to do this at such a young age suggests there is no ceiling for Rice’s career at this point.
In other news: ‘This has to be the case’ – Presenter tips West Ham to make ‘really important’ January move