Transfer expert Ian McGarry claimed that he has been told by an agent working with Chelsea that the West Ham owners may well be open to selling Declan Rice in January if their valuation is met, when speaking on the Transfer Window Podcast.
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To be honest, we are sick to death of hearing about Rice’s potential exit.
The 21-year-old is undoubtedly our best player. If West Ham are serious about making progress, selling Rice is not an option.
As we all know only too well with our owners, however, the 13-capped England international is probably seen as nothing more than a sellable asset.
We couldn’t even afford to pay a straight up fee for Said Benrahma in the summer. And it would surprise nobody if the Hammers owners flogged Rice whilst claiming they needed the funds to make the Benrahma deal permanent next summer.
And the latest claim made by Ian McGarry on the Transfer Window Podcast will worry West Ham fans.
The transfer expert said:
“They are prepared to invest again in January. The word I got from the agent, who has been mandated to sell players from Stamford Bridge, when I asked him about Chelsea’s chances of recruiting Declan Rice was I think the owners of West Ham would take the money for Rice if they can get the right price for him in this window. There’s obviously a door opening there as far as Chelsea are concerned.”
Rice is still under contract with West Ham until the summer of 2024. We also have the option of extending that deal by a further 12 months.
That means little of course if the club decide to cash in on him. We are at least in a position of strength, however.
If the Hammers want to keep Rice, we hold all the cards. And with the time remaining on the 21-year-old’s current contract, West Ham are in a position to demand an enormous fee for him.
It remains to be seen whether Rice goes on to stay at the London Stadium. It will be very interesting to see the Hammers’ stance if Chelsea actually come in with a concrete bid for the England international in January.
Let’s just hope and pray that the owners stand firm. We are too wise to their tricks and duplicity to expect that to happen, however.
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