TalkSport pundit and former West Ham United player Trevor Sinclair has given his thoughts on Declan Rice and his future at the club.
Rice is someone that has been linked with a move away from the London Stadium for some time now, with reports going back as far as the summer window of 2020 hinting that clubs could be after him.
It is understandable why, as he has been described as a ‘rare talent’ in the past. And seeing as he’s only 23 with his best years ahead of him, you can see why many of the bigger clubs would want to make him part of their side.
He addressed his own future recently, stating on The Overlap with Gary Neville (via The Evening Standard): “I want to win the Premier League and lift that trophy, I want to win the Champions League and I want to win the FA Cup, League Cup, stuff with England. I want to win it all. As a footballer, if you’ve not got that ambition, why are you playing?”
Speaking on TalkSport, Sinclair felt that this year might well be the last for Rice at the London Stadium, and that part of that might be down to the way West Ham United handled their business in the January transfer window.
He said: “From an individual point of view, looking at him, I think he’s an ambitious young man. He was 23 in January just gone, and he’s achieving a lot at such a young age. I think silverware and European football at the top end, when you’re talking Champions League, is probably something that’s he’s got in his sights; he wants to be England captain.
“I can’t see him staying after this season. I know West Ham fans don’t want to hear that, but the lack of activity in the January transfer window for West Ham, for me, tells me that West Ham are not probably going to be successful.”
TIF Thoughts on Trevor Sinclair’s comments about Declan Rice and West Ham United…
Will Declan Rice be at West Ham next season?
Yes
No
Sinclair does make a good point when it comes to how West Ham United handled their business. They are currently on the cusp of qualifying for the Champions League – something that might convince Rice to stay – but the club didn’t make any moves to try and improve the squad to try and get them over the line.
It doesn’t really smack of ambition on West Ham’s part – more that they are happy with where they are and just happy to be contenders, rather than a team that wants to do all it can to qualify.
So they are going to have to try and do something special between now and the end of the season like winning the Europa League or making the top four with the squad that they have to convince Rice to stay. Otherwise, Sinclair’s prediction that this will be his last season at the club could well come true.
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