Frank McAvennie fears West Ham United owners are out for themselves over Declan Rice future
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 fears that while Declan Rice is concerned about ambition from West Ham the owners are looking to profit from him.
The Sun reported that the Irons midfield star had turned down a massive eight-year contract offer, feeling that it was David Sullivan “playing to the crowd”.
An “anti-embarrassment clause” in the club’s deal with the London Legacy Development Corporation, which stipulates a full sale of the club will incur a levy paid to the taxpayer, expires next year (Telegraph), and if Sullivan and David Gold are waiting for that point to sell up for maximum profit ex-Hammers striker McAvennie feels their attitude towards the 23-year-old could have that in mind.
“We keep speculating about the owners, whether they’re going to go or not,” he told West Ham Zone.
“If they’re going to sell up, they’ll sell Declan before they go, which is wrong.
“And the more contract he’s on the bigger the price they’ll get. That’s basically what it’s all about.
“Declan, I don’t think it’s the money to him. £200,000-a-week, it won’t be about the money.
“It’s about who are they going to bring in? Declan will be concerned about who’s going to come in that’s on the same level as him, that’s going forward.
“They need big players that are going to improve the team.
“I know it’s a thin squad and we need players to fill the squad, but we need quality players to come in.
“Declan will be looking at that and thinking, ‘The next four years are crucial to me’.
“And he’ll be wanting players to come in of the same calibre, if not more, than him.
“He’ll be wanting West Ham to show him ambition, that’s what he’ll be waiting on.
“You can’t blame him for that.”
From the player’s point of view the situation seems pretty clear. He loves the club but wants to play at the very highest level, like many in his position do.
If he does go in the next couple of years – the club have an option to extend his contract to 2025 – then he will cost a big amount either way
Money is going to have to be spent to match his ambitions, but that should be the club’s ambitions as well anyway, so the goal should be to invest in the team to reach a level where he stays long term.
In other West Ham news, the club are ready to “cash in” on one first-team player to fund a move for his replacement.
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