Many West Ham United fans may be shocked to hear that Declan Rice’s transfer value, according to statistical analysis, is as low as £58.3m, amid the player being linked with an exit.
According to Manchester Evening News reporter Samuel Luckhurst, the Hammers midfielder is ‘keen’ on the possibility of a move to Manchester United this summer and he is high up on the list of transfer targets for the Red Devils.
In what could be worrying news for West Ham supporters, the journalist also claims that he would ‘doubt any club would spend £100m on Rice’. Manager David Moyes put such a valuation on his player earlier on this season when asked how highly he rates the 23-year-old, but it looks as if the Hammers may not get the kind of money they’d be after.
Is Declan Rice worth £100m or more in the current market?
Yes
No
To make things worse, the CIES Football Observatory – a group that does exclusive research and statistical analysis on players to develop a powerful econometric approach that assesses the transfer value of professional footballers on a scientific basis – has determined that Rice’s value is actually in the region of €70m-€90m, which means he could be worth as little as £58.3m.
TIF Thoughts on West Ham and Declan Rice…
No doubt, most West Ham fans will be hoping Rice has no intention of leaving their club any time soon. However, the more realistic ones may appreciate that he could soon end up moving to a bigger club much like Jack Grealish did, after he left Aston Villa for Manchester City last summer.
If they do look at that example, though, they would also be right to point out the £100m transfer fee paid for the former Villa ace. Still, that figure was agreed as it was the release clause set in Grealish’s contract.
Rice does not seem to have such a clause in his contract, and with it expiring in 2024, his value may not increase after this summer unless he signs a new deal.
With all that in mind, if West Ham want to get the best price for their man, they may have to sell this summer – and even then, it may be a little bit less than the £100m Moyes had been expecting based on this scientific assessment.
In other news: ‘Looking at another Felipe Anderson scenario’ – Dave Walker shares big ‘fear’ at West Ham