West Ham manager David Moyes has admitted there is a “good chance” that club captain Declan Rice will leave at the end of the season. Rice, 24, has been with the Hammers since 2017 and has 243 appearances in all competitions, but his contract is set to expire in 2024, with the club having an option to extend it by a further year. So far, Rice has rejected all efforts to get him to sign an extension, with Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool all linked with the England international.
Former Manchester United and Bayern Munich midfielder Owen Hargreaves said on BT Sport during their coverage of Thursday’s Europa Conference League semi-final first-leg win over AZ Alkmaar: “Everybody would love to have Declan Rice. He’s playing with a little bit of swagger about him now. He sometimes kept it simple and safe but now it feels like Declan realises he can do anything on a football pitch. He doesn’t have a weakness in his game.”
Former West Ham winger Joe Cole believes Rice would walk into any team in Europe, saying: “He’s outstanding. Everything good that West Ham do goes through him. He’s added things to his game this year. He was adding goals to his game and he can just do everything. He keeps getting better. Any team in Europe would have him in their team.”
Former Brighton striker Glenn Murray believes Rice should be playing in the Champions League: “At this stage of his career, Declan Rice has almost, for want of a better word, outgrown the football club. I think he should be playing in Champions League games and for a top six club. He is a world star, and I think his star will only continue to grow and to shine.” Manager David Moyes has said: “We hope Dec stays. We would love him to be a West Ham player but we are aware that might not be the case. That is one of the scenarios. Our plans are to have Dec here but we are also fully aware there is a good chance that we won’t have him.”