By Daniel Lewis

16th Sep, 2023 | 7:10pm

David Moyes reveals Wayne Rooney influence at West Ham after Declan Rice to Arsenal transfer

David Moyes has revealed his past experience of losing Wayne Rooney during his time at Everton helped when Declan Rice departed West Ham.

Rice joined Arsenal in a £105million deal in July to bring an end to weeks of intense speculation, leaving Moyes with a huge void to fill in midfield.

However, the Scotsman went through something similar – albeit in a different position – when teen sensation Rooney joined Manchester United in 2004.

Reflecting on West Ham’s transfer business in the wake of Rice departing, Moyes told reporters [Daily Mail, 15 September]: “When I lost Wayne Rooney I thought, ‘this is going to caze in. How am I going to do it?’

“But you go out and try and buy more team players. Also people inside the building have to stand up a little bit more.

“I think that happened then, and my early feeling is that’s happening now. Although it’s early days, that’s what we want from them.”

Perfect combo

There is no doubt that losing Rice in the summer hurt, even if his exit had been inevitable well before the window had even opened.

Seeing the fan favourite and club captain join a London rival did not help, nor did the fact it took so long to find a replacement.

Or should that be replacements? Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse have arrived and look like a perfect combination in holding midfield.

Of course, had West Ham not started the season as well as they have, many would still have been mourning the departure of Rice.

But that has not been the case, and there is plenty to be excited about for the remainder of the season.

Not just in terms of the new midfielders, but also Konstantinos Mavropanos and Mohammed Kudus, with all four signed for not much more than the Rice fee alone.

Now that is what you call good business.

In other West Ham news, an award snub could work in the Hammers’ favour if recent history is anything to go by.