Mark Noble admits West Ham United have no chance to keep Declan Rice
Declan Rice will move to a big six club if they want him because they are too financially powerful for West Ham to compete, says Mark Noble.
The incoming sporting director is under no illusions about the club’s ability to keep hold of their star man, and successor as captain, citing Jack Grealish’s move from Aston Villa to Manchester City as evidence that a move will likely happen.
Chelsea have long been considered one of the most likely destinations for the Irons captain, but Manchester United, City and Liverpool have variously been credited with an interest, and Noble sees the writing on the wall.
He told the Guardian (20 December): “Whether you think things will get dicey [relegation] at West Ham – and I don’t believe they will – we just can’t cope financially with the top teams.
“We can try our hardest to recruit the best players that the top five or six don’t buy – and we might get lucky with a few that slip through the net – but you can’t compete with these teams.
“They’re financially too powerful. If a top club wants Declan Rice they’re just going to pay for him, full stop. You’ve seen it with Jack Grealish, with the best players.
“If the top boys want them, we ain’t got a chance.”
Realist
What Noble has said isn’t as notable as the fact that he has said it, with West Ham largely maintaining the stance prior to this that Rice is a Hammer with a prohibitive price tag.
But it is an uncomfortable reality that one of the Champions League clubs are sure to get hold of him at some point, with his personal ambitions well known.
But a person (soon to be) in an influential position behind the scenes at the club articulating what we all know looks to be a clear sign of the short-term future of this situation.
Clearly Rice won’t be cheap either way, but any hopes that the club might be able to convince him to stay for another season look to have been extinguished.
There was speculation throughout last season over a big-money summer move, but David Moyes talking up his value eventually led to little in the way of a serious threat during the window.
But with one fewer season left on his contract and the club as a whole struggling results-wise this year Noble’s most recent statement suggests that the midfield man will be on his way before long now.