According to a report from the Daily Star, West Ham are ready to offer Declan Rice a new £120k-a-week contract in order to fend off interest from Chelsea.
In other news…’Incredible’: Some West Ham fans rave about MOTM display from 9-capped international
The Star claims that the 21-year-old currently earns £60,000 per week.
Although many other outlets including The Times and The Telegraph reckon he is on closer to £40k-a-week.
Regardless of what he actually earns at the moment, £120k-a-week would make him the highest paid player at the London Stadium. And he thoroughly deserves that honour.
Rice has been truly exceptional for West Ham over the past two years or so. The 21-year-old is undoubtedly our best and most consistent player.
And the 10-capped England international’s fine displays have clearly not gone unnoticed.
The Sun claimed that Chelsea were ready to splash out £80 million on Rice during the summer transfer window.
David Moyes stood firm and kept hold of his best player in the end. But the Sun claims that Chelsea could come back in for the 21-year-old Hammers ace either in January or next summer.
And the Daily Star reckons that West Ham are anticipating that approach from their London rivals. It is suggested that the east London club will offer Rice a new £120k-a-week a deal in order to keep him at the club for the long-term.
The 21-year-old is currently under contract with West Ham until the summer of 2024. The Hammers have the option of extending that deal by another 12 months as well.
So we are in a very strong position already. And making him the highest paid player at the London Stadium would strengthen our hand even further still.
This is something that needs to be done immediately. Rice would be worth every penny.
Signing the midfielder down to a new deal would be a sign of our ambition as a club. Keeping Rice, rather than selling him for a massive profit would be a big statement suggesting that we mean business.
And that could end up being a potential game-changer for West Ham as a football club.
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