West Ham United to draft in behind-the-scenes expert as £69.6m Declan Rice bid submitted
West Ham United are working on bringing in an experienced transfer broker and following a midweek development surrounding Declan Rice’s future, Moyes may need desperate help.
The Hammers are looking to significantly revamp their recruitment department after a disappointing Premier League 2022/23 campaign, with a whole host of changes expected among the club playing staff.
West Ham already have legend Mark Noble who only joined as sporting director last summer, and there have been talks about hiring another transfer chief [TalkSPORT, 24 May] ahead of a crucial summer rebuild.
And according to The Sun’s Alan Nixon writing on his Patreon page [28 May], the Hammers are working on bringing in an experienced broker to help Moyes navigate through this summer’s dealings.
“Hammers already have Noble and Rob Newman in key roles but wants a seasoned wheeler-dealer to come in and do deals.
“Moyes knows he could lose Declan Rice and others may move on. With money to spend it could be a busy summer for the Hammers.
“And they are currently busy looking for a quick but significant appointment to join in the fun this summer”, Nixon reveals.
Ahead of what could be one of the biggest summers at the London Stadium, it is clear Moyes needs desperate help in terms of player recruitment and there is one potential deal in particular that West Ham United must ensure they get the best benefit from in order to move forward, and that may only be achieved with the help of an experienced transfer “wheeler-dealer”.
According to Sky Sports Germany [24 May], capital rivals Arsenal have tabled an €80million (£69.6m) bid for Rice ahead of the summer window.
The Hammers club captain looks set to leave West Ham this summer in search of Champions League football and Arsenal have long been earmarked as the favourites to sign him.
Bayern Munich, Manchester United, City, Liverpool and Chelsea have all emerged as strong potential suitors for their star player this summer, and are believed to be holding out for a fee of £100m-plus for his services [Daily Mail, 11 May].
“According to Sky information, the English national player was discussed internally in detail, and there was already an exchange between FC Bayern and Rice’s advisors.
“The problem: West Ham United is flirting with a very high transfer fee, Arsenal have already made an offer of around 80 million euros – too much for Munich. Chelsea FC and Liverpool FC are also interested in Rice”, Sky Germany reveals.
Interest in their key man is certainly rife right now and is set to intensify even further following the conclusion of the Europa Conference League final clash with Fiorentina on 7 June.
Rice is destined to leave the London Stadium, but £69m seems incredibly little if West Ham United are to sell their prized asset to a London rival.
The Hammers need to be smart about their decision. With Rice’s contract at the club still to run until 2025, they cannot be bullied into a cheaper sale – they must stick to their £100m price tag and that’s where the help of an experienced transfer negotiator could prove incredibly useful.
The 24-year-old has become an international superstar and has emerged as one of the best of his position on the continent so the increasing interest in his services is inevitable.
Rice is certainly a £100m-plus player, especially if his English counterpart Jude Bellingham is said to be moving to Real Madrid for a similar fee.
Arsenal seem unwilling to pay the £100-£120m amount [The Sun, 10 May] but that’s the going rate of world-class midfield operators these days and it certainly seems reasonable from the West Ham United perspective.
With the East Londoners set to undergo a hefty rebuild of their own this summer, it is imperative they get the best outcome for themselves from any potential Rice deal.
Get that transfer broker in immediately, it could aid the club’s long-term and sustainable future.