When Declan Rice revealed his wish to follow in the footsteps of Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane it set alarm bells ringing at West Ham United.
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West Ham fans are desperate to see Rice tied down to a new long-term deal.
Just as Kane is a talisman for Tottenham, so too is Rice for West Ham.
Hammers supporters want to see co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold make the midfielder the highest paid player at the club.
Rice so important to West Hams future
Already the matchday captain in Mark Noble’s absence, Rice is the natural successor to the legendary Hammers skipper.
Indeed Rice has become an England regular while playing for West Ham.
So when he said he wanted to be winning trophies, it set nerves jangling at West Ham, as the club enters its 41st year without lifting one (no the Intertoto doesn’t count).
But an interview where Rice cited Spurs striker Kane as his inspiration as he goes in search of trophies doesn’t really add up.
It has often been levelled at Kane that he must leave Spurs to win trophies.
So far those Tottenham doubters have been proved right.
Rice says Kane winning trophies is inevitable. Many would see it very differently, especially given the north Londoners have officially coined a new word which is awaiting approval for the English dictionary – Spursy.
“A Spursy performance, is to have success in reach but to ultimately chuck it away,” the Collins English Dictionary reads.
Trophy ambitions are fine but using Kane as the example doesn’t quite work
So Rice’s argument that he wants to follow in Kane’s footsteps is a big statement.
“As a footballer you only get one career and it goes by very quick,” Rice told Sky Sports.
“You want to be successful for club and country. I think it’s an important thing to win trophies. There’s talk of Harry Kane at Spurs and what he should be doing, obviously he can do whatever he wants.
“He’s going to win trophies we all know that. I think that’s something I want to aim for as well. I’m only 21 but to get those highs of your career you need to win stuff and that’s what I want to do.”
There’s no reason why West Ham could not launch a serious campaign to win the FA Cup.
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Indeed sitting fifth in the league past the quarter-way stage, perhaps qualifying for Europe would keep Rice content for another year or two yet.
Whatever he decides to do in the future, West Ham must do their bit and ensure they come to the table with a realistic contract reward for their star player.
Do your bit Sullivan and Gold and West Ham fans will reluctantly accept if Rice moves on for footballing reasons in a few years.
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