Declan Rice shares goodbye message as West Ham United confirm exit news
Declan Rice has reacted after West Ham United confirmed Manuel Lanzini would be departing the London Stadium upon the expiry of his contract.
The 30-year-old’s exit was announced on Friday 16 June, bringing an end to his eight-year stay in East London, after joining the Hammers in 2015.
Rice has since taken to Instagram and sent a message to the diminutive Argentinian.
“It has been a pleasure, my friend. What a player. Best of luck on your new adventure,” said Rice on Instagram (16 June).
End of an era
Lanzini will go down as a West Ham United legend, having spent eight seasons at the London Stadium. At 30, he will go on to secure a decent move elsewhere.
As for Rice, West Ham fans will be desperate to avoid a similar message emerging from him in the coming weeks. He’s been immense for the Hammers for a number of years and has evidently turned himself into one of the best midfielders in the world.
However, with talk of a move to Arsenal now gathering pace, his exit from the London Stadium is now looking like a foregone conclusion.
Luckily for the Hammers, they’re likely to receive their valuation. Manchester City are reportedly showing interest in the England international and that could bump up the fee for the 24-year-old.
A bidding war is exactly what the board will be after. If Arsenal have competition for Rice they could easily be forced to abort their move or raise their price significantly.