Agent drops £100k-a-week Declan Rice claim amid West Ham United transfer update
Agent Jon Smith has shared detailed information about what Declan Rice’s potential switch from West Ham to Arsenal will involve.
The Hammers have accepted a £100million plus £5million offer for the midfielder, with a deal close to completion, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Arsenal submitted the bid for the West Ham captain on Tuesday (27 June), forcing Manchester City to drop out of the race for his signature.
“These transactions (eg Declan Rice) do not walk in a straight line,” Smith wrote for CaughtOffside. “The footballer who’s on £100k-a-week is probably on a basic of £60k and then there’s added bonuses for either appearances, goals or England caps and so on. Gross all of that up, he plays every game and scores for fun – only then will he get his £100k-a-week.
“So it’ll be similar with this Rice deal. £100m is a lot of money, even today. I wouldn’t just be writing out the cheque, I’d be wanting to cash flow it. I’d be wanting it over the five years, three years, whatever term I would want, and then David Sullivan would obviously want it on his terms. Then you ask the question is it really £100m or is it £80m? If he plays 30 games, there’s another £20m and so on and so on.
“Bear in mind every movement in this saga isn’t like you and me arguing over a car. I offer £30k and you want £33k – it’s not quite as simple as that because these are big sums and every movement of that decimal point is 10s of millions of pounds difference. That’s why it takes a little bit of time.”
Complicated discussions
There is definitely more to it than simply the figures that are being mentioned when it comes to the West Ham star, with several other figures playing a crucial role in contract talks behind the scenes.
At the end of the day, however, the East London club will want to secure the best deal that they can possibly get for their midfield maestro.
They should also be trying to get the best deal for Rice, who has been a superb servant to the club over the years and is now deserving of his step up.
Money will play a major part in the deal, but the player’s welfare should also be considered, with the midfielder deserving of a key role at Arsenal, a club that should be challenging for major trophies in the years to come.
Manchester City will also be challenging for trophies, but it doesn’t exactly make sense for the England international to move there, with plenty of time on the bench on the cards if he was to go to the Etihad this summer.
In other West Ham news, one pundit has tipped Rice to take the Arsenal captaincy in a Hammers transfer verdict.