BBC Sport journalist: Word from West Ham United camp, Declan Rice ‘going nowhere’
West Ham are adamant that Declan Rice is “going nowhere” this summer despite strong links with Chelsea, according to BBC Sport journalist Simon Stone.
Writing on the BBC Sport website on Tuesday (28 June), Stone reported that “the word from the Hammers camp is unequivocal” and Rice, 23, isn’t leaving the London Stadium this summer.
Rice has two years left on his contract at the club but the Hammers hold the option to extend it by a further 12 months.
Chelsea’s new owner Todd Boehly is reportedly getting involved in transfer negotiations at Stamford Bridge and England midfielder Rice is someone who the Blues are strongly linked with.
New contract, please
Even though Rice has up to three years left on his deal at West Ham, the club should tie him down to an even longer deal which also sees him earn more money.
Rice is easily one of the best midfielders in the Premier League and West Ham are very, very lucky to have him on their books.
However, we won’t be able to brag about having such a gifted player if the club doesn’t sort out his situation sooner rather than later.
Those two years, plus the extra one, will count for nothing if Rice turns disillusioned and stops wanting to play for the club.
He needs to be paid properly for starters.
Rice is bound to be earning nowhere near what players who are worse than him are earning at other Premier League clubs.
West Ham also need to show a lot more ambition if they want to keep Rice for longer too.
If you look back at January, the failure to sign anyone led to our Europa League campaign failing at the penultimate hurdle and our charge for a top-six Premier League finish ending in a damp squib.
West Ham need to do better in so many areas in order to keep Rice and any other top player we get in the future.