Andros Townsend believes Declan Rice is better suited to Manchester United than Chelsea
West Ham United ace Declan Rice has rejected two contract offers from the club amid links with Chelsea and Manchester United.
The England international is wanted by the bigwigs, and the Blues were looking to sign him last summer.
Rice has put both clubs on alert following his latest decision [The Telegraph], and newly-released Crystal Palace winger Andros Townsend believes he could be willing to wait until next summer if the Hammers knock back bids from suitors in the coming days.
The former England international said on talkSPORT: “If you believe what is being reported in the papers, he was trying to go to Chelsea last year, but it did not work out for one reason or the other, and he stayed because he loves West Ham.
“He stayed and at the end of the season he’s done really well, I’m sure he’d probably look to go away this season, but because he loves West Ham, if it doesn’t materialise, I’d get back to my day job, I’d work as hard as I can for West Ham and try to have another good season and try and leave the summer after. I think whether he wants to leave or not is one thing, whether or not he would push through is another.”
Jim White then asked: “Does he fit at Chelsea? Does he fit elsewhere? It seems to me it’s the club that is perfect for him at the moment.
Townsend continued: “Chelsea is different because I think Chelsea they like their holding midfielders to be ball-playing. I think Kante has kind of broken into that team, so it’s him and a ball-playing midfielder. Unless Kovacic or Jorginho leave, I don’t see where he’d fit in there.
“Manchester United is a different kettle of fish. Look at Paul Pogba at the Euros with Kante doing all the running for him and Pogba having the license to spray passes left, right and centre. He would need another player like that next to him, so, that’s a different kettle of fish altogether.”
West Ham risk losing Rice
Rice is not likely to force an exit this summer, but that cannot be guaranteed next season should the Hammers prevent him from leaving.
The 22-year-old has three more years on his current contract, with the option of another year, and it appears he is not willing to commit his future to the club.
An extension puts his chances of leaving at risk, and he has probably seen how long-term deals have affected Harry Kane and Wilfried Zaha at Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace respectively.
We can only hope he stays for at least one more season and enjoy the Europa League campaign with us.
Rice deserves to be competing for the biggest prizes at club level just as he is doing for England, and West Ham could struggle to show that ambition.
He will not be out of place in any top team in the Premier League, and holding on to him against his wishes is not the way to go.
We want the midfielder at the London Stadium for as long as possible, but the Irons should not stand in his way any time he wants out.
In other West Ham news, Hammers are in contact with reps of centre-mid who won 20/21 title.
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