Fabrizio Romano: Declan Rice situation ‘Open’ amid West Ham contract refusals
A transfer to take Declan Rice from West Ham to Chelsea would be “complicated” but the situation is still live, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The transfer guru was speaking via his Twitch account on Friday night [09/07/21], where he answered questions from his audience.
Romano was asked about the possibility of Rice swapping West Ham for Chelsea this summer, and the Italian journalist admitted it would be a complex transfer.
“I think it’s not easy because dealing with West Ham over Declan Rice is never easy,” he said.
“Last summer Chelsea were prepared to spend 50-60million Euros [£42.7-51.2million] for Declan Rice and they were asking for 85-90million Euros [£72.6-76.9million].
“Imagine how complicated it is.
“But we have to say also the player is turning down contract proposals from West Ham so it is still an open situation.”
Hold out
Rice has a contract until 2024 so there should be no pressure on the club to imminently sell.
Of course, if he still hasn’t signed a new deal by next summer then that is when the club will have to make a big decision.
By July 2022 he will have less than two years on his contract, and thus his value will quickly diminish as clubs eye cut-price swoops.
But, with Europa League football on the horizon for the Irons, there should be no rush to sell up this year.
It’s a chance to try and get a foothold in the Premier League, maintain our position in and around the European places, and go on a lengthy run in Europe.
That would help to boost the profile of the club considerably and bring in more money, so even if Rice decided to move in 2022 we would be in a strong position where players would be interested in joining the club, and money in the bank.
Rice doesn’t even turn 23 until next year, so if he isn’t willing to sign a new deal, then just sit tight until next year.
He’s surely not the type to make demands this summer, and he will likely be desperate to represent the Irons in Europe.
In other West Ham news, this big-name star is on the verge of an Irons exit according to a BBC journalist.
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