According to a recent report by The Daily Star, West Ham United have slapped an £80m price tag on Declan Rice ahead of the summer transfer window. The same source has also claimed that the Hammers’ whopping valuation will be a big blow for Manchester United as they don’t feel that the English midfielder is worth the high price of admission at this point of his football career. It seems like West Ham’s mouth-watering valuation could be enough for them to fend off interest from the Red Devils in this off-season which is a positive development for anyone associated with the East London club.
Rice’s Decent Form At The English Capital This Season
The 21-year-old has experienced another solid campaign at the London Stadium after producing several commanding displays at the heart of the Hammers midfield. He has featured in 30 matches for David Moyes’ side this term and has got two assists to show for his efforts in multiple competitions.
More importantly, Rice has averaged 3.0 tackles, 2.1 interceptions, 1.4 clearances, 0.6 shots and 1.2 dribbles in every 90 minutes of Premier League football this season. He has hardly thrown away possession in midfield after completing 86.2% of his attempted passes in league football so far (stats via whoscored). His excellent contributions have raised his stock in English football and justify how he has become such a favourite among the West Ham fans.
The London-born talent has also earned seven senior caps for the English national team but is still waiting to net his first goal for the Three Lions. If he can show some signs of improvement in the upcoming campaign, then he should have a decent shot of being named in Gareth Southgate’s squad for next year’s UEFA European Championship finals following the competition’s postponement because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
What Does The England International Bring To The Table?
Rice is a moderately-paced midfielder who works hard to get stuck in with a few tackles so that he can win possession back for his side. He boasts excellent defensive awareness that enables him to pull off some crucial last-gasp clearances at the back. The English midfielder can pass the ball accurately at the centre of the park but struggles to impact the game going forward as he has often been deployed as a defensive midfielder over the past few years.
West Ham Slaps £80m Price Tag On Rice: Right Decision By Moyes?
There is no denying that Rice has established himself as one of West Ham’s top performers, so Moyes’ reluctance to let him go for a low price seems justified at the moment. The Hammers cannot afford to lose the services of the English midfield ace without giving up a proper fight. The fact that Mark Noble has embarked upon the last years of his playing career has only increased the London outfit’s need to retain Rice’s talents for the long-run.
However, if the player has his heart set on parting ways with his boyhood club, then it is only fair for West Ham to let him go for the right price. Hence, their decision to slap an £80m price tag seems like the correct decision by the club’s chiefs as they battle to keep him at the London Stadium beyond this summer.
