Declan Rice is determined to challenge himself at a top-four club
Declan Rice has rejected two contract offers from West Ham United and is keen to challenge himself elsewhere, according to The Athletic.
The club have insisted the 22-year-old is not for sale amid interests from the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea.
The Hammers finished the Premier League in sixth-place last term, securing Europa League football as a result.
Nevertheless, Rice wants more, and The Athletic claim failure to secure a top-four finish has added to his determination to challenge himself at a club which can.
Can’t fault his ambition
The Hammers midfielder watched his best friend Mason Mount clinch the Champions League a couple of weeks ago, and would have wished he were a part of the Chelsea squad celebrating the victory.
Winning the Europa League next season with us would not come close, but we have to show ambition to have any chance of holding on to Rice for long.
He has three years left on his deal, with the option of another year, and West Ham are definitely in the control sit over his future.
The England international has no plans to submit a transfer request in order to force through a move [The Athletic], and while we do not expect him to, failure to finish in the top-six at the end of next season could have him thinking about his future at the London Stadium.
He has proven himself for both club and country and arguably would walk into any starting line-up in any of Europe’s biggest clubs.
Without any doubt, West Ham have improved under manager David Moyes, but Rice is clearly not willing to risk his chances of leaving by penning an extension.
The initial signs do not look good, but should we fail to match his ambitions, the fans should not begrudge him his desire to join the bigwigs.
He deserves it.
In other West Ham news, Hammers are in contact with reps of centre-mid who won 20/21 title.
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