Paul Ince suggested that West Ham midfielder Declan Rice’s reported £80 million valuation is ‘madness’, when speaking exclusively to talkSPORT yesterday.
The Hammers youngster has been in superb form over the past 15 months. He has firmly established himself as one of the best holding midfielders in European football. And the 20-year-old has been rewarded with his fine performances with six international caps for England.
Unfortunately for West Ham, however, his wonderful displays have not gone unnoticed.
Manchester United want to sign Rice, according to the Daily Star, but the Hammers are believed to value the youngster at an eye-watering £80 million.
And Ince told talkSPORT yesterday how that price-tag is quite simply ridiculous:
“I don’t think they’ll spend £80m on Declan Rice, that’s for sure, at this moment in time. I think he’s at the right club at West Ham. He’s playing week in, week out, which is important, and I think he’s got the right people around him, like Mark Noble, who has been there a long time, so he’ll learn a lot. But stop quoting these ridiculous prices, it’s madness, it really is.”
Whilst Ince does have a point, in today’s day and age, it could be argued that West Ham are well within their rights to demand such an extortionate fee for Rice.
The England international is still under contract with West Ham until the summer of 2024. And considering some of the staggering fees that have been paid out for players not in the same league as Rice, the Hammers should not accept a penny less than £80 million for his signature.
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