Will West Ham lose Rice? How much do the Hammers want for him?

Declan Rice is undoubtedly an integral part of West Ham United’s starting line-up. And given his performances, it’s clear that a bigger club will try to sign him. Already, Chelsea and Manchester United are circling him. But the Hammers have set a high price!

Will Rice leave West Ham United in the summer transfer window? That’s a question we don’t know the answer to now, of course. However, various facts are already emerging that may give us a clue.

If there is any talk of a transfer deal at all, the interested parties have to dig deep into their pockets. The Hammers are clearly aware of his qualities and have decided to set a relatively high sale price.

That’s £90 million! There is a big question mark over his future at the club. The 22-year-old defensive midfielder has rejected the offer of a new contract, but his contract is valid for another three years.

According to Football Insider, the plan of the Hammers is clear. Better to sell him now or in the near future, when his market value is around €70 million, than risk his contract expiring and leaving for free.

This summer, however, the sale price set by the club’s management at £100m has deterred even clubs such as Chelsea and Manchester United. Rice, however, turned down the offer of a new contract, prompting the chiefs to lower their asking price.

West Ham are likely to make fresh attempts to reopen contract talks, not least because they will want to protect his market value. Should the England international indeed leave the London outfit, a search of the market for a potential replacement is in order.

According to current speculation, Manchester City will also be in the running for Rice. This season, the Hammers have a fairly packed midfield. But what’s true today may not be true tomorrow.

The team’s captain, Mark Noble, has even announced that he will hang up his cleats at the end of the season. So West Ham representatives may have to explore various alternatives sooner than they anticipated.

Source: Football Insider