According to Football.London, West Ham United have reportedly stated that Declan Rice will not exit London Stadium this January. It is understood that the growing influence of the English midfielder in the East London club has been noticed by several Premier League clubs. There have been several speculations regarding his exit in the current transfer window as his contract with the Hammers expires in the summer of 2024, however, West Ham are believed to have taken a firm stand.
Rice’s Run Of Form With West Ham United
Declan Rice had a slow start to this campaign but has returned to form after producing some dominant displays in the central areas of the field recently. He has managed to find the back of the net on one occasion and create two assists over 18 appearances so far this season.
The Thames-born sensation has performed exceptionally since his debut establishing himself as a regular feature under David Moyes and becoming the captain of the club at such a young age. Even in the current campaign, he has been reliable in the holding midfield positions after averaging 2.3 tackles, 1.6 interceptions, 1.2 clearances, and 1.2 key passes per game in the Premier League. He has also been accurate with his ball distribution after completing 90.4% of his attempted passes in the English top flight. (stats via whoscored).
Good Call From David Moyes?
An all-around central midfielder of Rice’s quality is difficult to replace and he remains a key player for the club at the moment. So Moyes has done well to set the record straight after expressing that he is reluctant on letting him leave right now.
However, with his contract set to expire in 2024, he will be entering the final year of his current deal which means that West Ham would be in a position whereby they could either take the money on offer next summer or try to convince him on signing a new deal. Although, if they fall short of negotiating a contract renewal it would mean that they would risk losing him for a reduced price.
It is known that Chelsea Boss Graham Potter feels that there’s a real chance for the Blues to acquire Rice next summer as he’ll enter the final year of his contract with the Hammers. So Moyes could still demand a decent price for their midfield ace, that is if they save themselves from relegation this season.
