Frank McAvennie doesn’t see West Ham ace Declan Rice wanting to join Chelsea
We’re delighted to welcome former West Ham United striker Frank McAvennie as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at the London Stadium…
Frank McAvennie doesn’t see Declan Rice wanting to leave West Ham to join Chelsea after the Blues won the Champions League title on Saturday.
Kai Havertz’s first-half goal meant Chelsea beat Manchester City to secure the second European title of their history.
Rice, 22, has been strongly linked with a move to Stamford Bridge but McAvennie doesn’t see the midfielder wanting to risk sitting below Thomas Tuchel’s players in his pecking order.
“I don’t get it (the transfer speculation),” McAvennie told West Ham Zone.
“David Moyes has got a big summer, he’s got to get Lingard over the line and he’s got to get Declan to stay.
“I don’t think it’s about the money and I think West Ham can challenge to win cups if they keep this squad, I really do. Leicester won the FA Cup – West Ham can do that to keep Declan.
“Declan looks like he’s enjoying himself. They’re a close-knit bunch of players and I don’t think Declan would want to leave to go to Chelsea where he’s not a big fish.
“He’s a big fish in this team, he’s the main man but at Chelsea, he wouldn’t be the main man, he’d be down the pecking order with so-called superstars [ahead of him].”
Rice is arguably one of the hottest properties in the Premier League with the 22-year-old already playing 131 times in England’s top-flight and earning 15 caps for the Three Lions.
He’s definitely one of the most talented players in Moyes’ squad and it would be criminal to let him go in the summer.
More than anything, the decision should come down to Rice.
Yes, he has a contract at the London Stadium that lasts until 2024 but if he wants to join the European champions then Moyes is going to have to think of a solution.
We don’t want unhappy players here but we also don’t want to see him go to them.
In other West Ham news, this Hammers-linked ace has been spotted hanging around with two of Moyes’ players.
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