Which club could Declan Rice end up signing for?
West Ham will let him go this summer “if they receive a £120m offer from a Champions League club”. David Moyes defined him as “the best English midfielder of the moment”.
Declan Rice has been one of the few positives in what has been a difficult season for West Ham - a 1-0 win over Manchester United on Sunday might just be enough for the Hammers to avoid the drop. In the words of Hammers’ manager David Moyes, Rice is “the best English midfielder at this moment.” The the 24-year-old’s performance against United was a reminder of why all the Premier League’s top clubs have his name at the top of their target lists.
After the game, Moyes was full of praise for the England international, telling reporters, “Again, he was outstanding tonight but I thought we had some really big performers. No surprising me, he has got a great talent of regaining the ball. You’ve seen him play for England, you’ve seen the abilities he uses in recovering the ball and getting around people. He’s great across the ground, very quick. I’m pleased, but not surprised. That’s why he is probably the best English midfield player around and that is why he is going to be extremely expensive if anybody comes calling”.
Rice’s contract expires in June 2024 and he has declined all of the club’s offers to renew. Moyes is resigned to the fact that he will lose the player this summer and confirmed that West Ham would be looking for a significant fee for the player, who has been at the club since he was 14.
It’s clear that whoever is planning to sign Rice this summer, he won’t come cheap. As reported by Sky Sports, “West Ham will release Declan Rice this summer if they receive a £120 million offer from a Champions League club”. Another Sky production, Good Morning Sports Fans added that “West Ham would also accept 100 million pounds plus a player for the midfielder” and revealed the Hammers “are already receiving inquiries”.
The six-figure asking price places Rice alongside Jude Bellingham, who is believed to have an agreement in place with Real Madrid. In England, the Telegraph reports, “West Ham United will benchmark the transfer fee that is paid for Jude Bellingham when it comes to negotiating the sale of Declan Rice this summer. They remain determined to drive as high a price as possible.” The two players, team mates with England, will be the great protagonists of this summer’s transfer market.
With the 2022/2023 season about to reach its conclusion, the West Ham captain boasts some of the best defensive figures in the entire Premier League. Rice is the player who wins back possession more than any other player and accumulates the most interceptions to date, with 321 balls recovered and 62 respectively. Likewise, he is fourth in the highest English division with the most carries (522) and the sixth with the most tackles (78). Only Fulham’s João Palhinha, a midfielder, registers more defensive actions between tackles and interceptions (181) than the English midfielder (140).
Where will Declan Rice go this summer?
London born and bred, Rice is expected to remain in the capital. Both Rice and Bellingham have been linked to Liverpool but as Jürgen Klopp admitted last month, the Reds are not in the position to make big-money signings and will be looking to add two or three, mid-range players as part of their midfield rebuild.
His first club, Chelsea, have also been mentioned - as have Manchester United but a move to Stamford Bridge or Old Trafford also looks unlikely.
“His most likely destination at the moment is Arsenal, while Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool have also shown interest in the England international.” Chelsea recently brought in Enzo Fernández while Casemiro is Ten Hag’s first-choice for the holding midfield role at United, which leaves no room for Rice. Mikel Arteta has been looking to fill the pivot position for some time although the question remains whether the Gunners would be willing to splash out such a big fee. “Declan Rice is believed to earn around £70,000 a week and is expected to earn at least three times as much if he relocates this summer,” Sky Sports reports conclude.
West Ham sit 15th in the Premier League table on 37 points - seven points clear of the relegation zone with three games left to play. They are also in the UEFA Conference League semi-final, playing host to AZ Alkmaar in the first leg on Thursday with the return in Holland next week.