Pundit: Too late to convince Declan Rice to stay at West Ham United after Mark Noble comments
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 feels it’s “too late” to convince Declan Rice to stay at West Ham now and the club must plan for the future without him.
The England international has been the talk of the town ahead of a potential summer exit, with several top clubs including Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool mooted to make a mega-money move for him.
And after sporting director Mark Noble admitted that the club wouldn’t stand in the way of his Champions League aspirations, McAvennie believes the club should be looking at replacements already because we can’t match his ambitions currently.
“He’s basically said what I’ve said, West Ham have got to match Declan Rice,” he told West Ham Zone.
“They’re not bringing the players in to match his ambition. If West Ham were fighting for Champions League spots every year, I don’t think Declan would go. But they’re not. Plain and simple, they’re just not doing it.
“They’re buying squad players which is not what Declan wants. He wants to be pushed. He wants someone to come into the midfield and challenge him. Even though he’s the top man. He’s wanting to be challenged.
“He’s wanting players around him that are better quality. He wants a structure. He just wants to play Champions League. He wants to challenge.
“Half a team last year when they got to the semi-final of the Europa League. It just shows you what they could have done if they had so many better players, or a bigger squad.
“I think he’s been there, seen it. It’s down to West Ham. It’s nothing to do with Declan, it’s all to do with West Ham. They had to buy the players to match his ambition.
“I can understand because Mr. Sullivan is going to sell up. So if he’s going to sell up then why would you want to spend on these players? It’s a catch-22. He’ll sell Declan before he sells up.
“We’ve got to get players in to replace Declan now I think. It’s too late now, he’s going to go in the summer. It’s a shame because he would have stayed if we were challenging for the Champions League [positions].”