West Ham United transfer stories on Declan Rice shock pundit who backed David Sullivan to get good value
Kenny Cunningham was “amazed” by stories suggesting West Ham captain will leave for around £80million as he expects the club’s owners to get good value for their players.
The race for Hammers skipper Rice is far from over, with former favourites Chelsea still interested, while Manchester City have been tipped as overtaking the heavily-linked Arsenal at the front of the queue [TEAMtalk, 1 March].
But long-time Premier League defender Cunningham was shocked to hear a price so low as he would expect David Sullivan to dig in and land over £100million for the England star.
Speaking live on Off The Ball Sports on Wednesday (1 March, 12min) during the Irons’ defeat at Manchester United the former Ireland international reacted to £80million suggestions in the papers with shock, saying: “80!?… I’d be amazed if that gets done at that.
“The owners generally get good value for their players and 80 sounds cheap to be honest with you… It’s reasonably cheap, I would have thought maybe 100 and above. I thought they’d be digging their heels, the West Ham owners.”
Bargaining
David Moyes has certainly done his bit over the past year to talk up Rice’s transfer fee, but his management of the actual side hasn’t done a great deal in practice to bump it up through performances on the pitch.
Unless Rice goes for a record fee there will be disappointed fans, who would either prefer him to stay or will feel that the club might as well have cashed in last summer.
It is possible that Sullivan and company can squeeze over £100million out of someone, but since he will only have a year left on his contract with the option for a further 12-months at the end of the season it isn’t guaranteed.
Enzo Fernandez had only been at Benfica for six months and had just won the World Cup when they got Chelsea to break the British record for him at the end of protracted negotiations.
Rice has the benefit of being a proven Premier League performer and won’t count as an overseas player which will help push his value up, so the club are sure to not let him go cheaply.
But even £80million is hardly chump change, and it doesn’t matter either way if it gets spent on shiny new players who flatter to deceive when they arrive as has happened this year.