Danny Mills claims West Ham sale could solve ‘huge issue’
Danny Mills has claimed that West Ham could be forced to sell Declan Rice to help them deal with a “huge” financial issue if they get relegated.
Hammers boss David Moyes admitted last week that the 21-year-old may end up leaving the club this summer, depending on how his side fare on the pitch.
And Mills believes that an exit could definitely be on the cards for the England international, especially if the Irons do go down.
Speaking to Football Insider, he said: “They’re also realistic, because you have to think that if they go down, there’s going to be a huge issue financially for them.
“Does he want to be fighting relegation battles, season in, season out? Probably not.
“Again it’s big big money, and it’s very very difficult to turn down at times.
“He might want to go. He might be thinking ‘I want to start playing Champions League, enhance my international career’.
“I wouldn’t be surprised, if there’s a huge fee that comes in for him, that he’s allowed to go.”
How bad would losing Rice be for West Ham?
Potentially, it could be massive.
The 21-year-old may not be the most experienced member for David Moyes’s squad by a long stretch, but he is already pretty close to being the most important.
His presence in the middle of the park cannot be understated, and while he may not be the most glamorous or eye-catching player, there is a reason why he is so highly lauded throughout the professional game.
So far this season, the defensive midfielder has a pass completion rate of 87.3%, as well as 3.1 tackles and two interceptions per game, as per Whoscored.
In short, he is the ideal player for that role, breaking up play and retaining possession effectively.
Sure, the Hammers could get a good price for him, but at what cost?
In other West Ham news, Kevin Phillips reacts to ‘crazy’ Irons transfer admission from Moyes.