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Pundit fears Declan Rice could leave West Ham United in January transfer window
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…
Declan Rice could leave the club in January if West Ham don’t get their finger out and sort their form out, according to Frank McAvennie.
The Hammers have struggled so far this season, losing five of their opening seven games of the campaign in the Premier League and finding themselves in the relegation zone.
And with Rice’s ambitions to play in the Champions League clear and public, if the Irons don’t turn their fortunes around they could be forced into the transfer market to find a replacement sooner than they liked with many believing he will leave next summer regardless of the team’s performance this season.
“I think they’ll look at a big centre half again,” he told West Ham Zone. “It depends on the midfield too.
“If they don’t get their finger out, Declan will leave. Sooner rather than later, I want it to be later. I think everyone is in sync that he will go next year. Everyone, all the West Ham fans.
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“I still think he would stay if the club matched his ambitions and bought wonderful players, then I think Declan would stay. Because he wants Champions League and there’s no way they can fight for Champions League spots.
“At the moment it’s not even close, so I don’t know what the answer will be but he’s [Moyes] got to make changes that’s for sure.
“To make changes he’s got to rely on the players he can trust. I don’t know who he’ll bring on but it might be a midfield player. Because there’s not many players that he can bring in.
“They need an anchor man, every team needs it. West Ham hasn’t got it, that’s for sure. You need somebody to just sit in the midfield. Soucek used to do it but he’s not doing it anymore. He’s not close to it.“