West Ham United ‘stronger’ without Declan Rice as ‘positive’ early signs emerge
West Ham United have “become stronger” since the summer sale of Declan Rice, according to journalist Adrian Clarke.
Former Hammers captain and midfield maestro Rice left the London Stadium to join Arsenal in July in a £105million transfer.
West Ham replaced the England international by signing midfield duo James Ward-Prowse and Edson Alvarez in the summer transfer window.
“It is early days, and the might of Man City will greatly test West Ham’s new midfield this weekend, but the early signs are positive,” Clarke wrote for the official Premier League website.
“An area many supporters feared would be weakened by Rice’s departure has actually become stronger.”
Open to debate
It may be a stretch too far to suggest that the Hammers are better off without Rice, who was the star man at the London Stadium for several seasons.
But there is certainly a debate to be had, with his replacements Ward-Prowse and Alvarez doing a superb job in their brief time in claret and blue.
They have immediately hit the ground running under David Moyes, filling the Rice gap expertly, much to the relief of West Ham supporters.
Fans of the club were perhaps fearing the worst after Rice made his switch to the Gunners, worrying that he could never be replaced in East London.
But their worries have quickly evaporated given how their club are unbeaten in their first four matches of the new Premier League campaign.
It will, however, get much harder for the summer signings and the entire West Ham squad when they begin their Europa League campaign.
In other West Ham news, Rio Ferdinand has continued to question the international treatment of a Hammers duo.