Robbie Walls
David Moyes believes that star midfielder Declan Rice is worth ‘far more’ than West Ham’s £100m valuation, amid speculation over the Englishman’s future.
The 22-year-old has been pivotal to the Hammers’ unexpected top-four challenge this season, having started all 26 of their Premier League games so far this term.
Alongside former Slavia Prague man Tomas Soucek, Rice has thrived in the centre of the park, while he’s also been handed the captain’s armband with usual skipper Mark Noble having been largely restricted to the substitutes’ bench this term.
While he has previously slotted in at centre-back, the youngster looks to have found a home in central midfield, with his combative and front-foot displays an integral part of the Hammers’ current rise to fourth in the table.
Such excellent form has not gone unnoticed, however, with the top-flight’s ‘Big Six’ sides reportedly retaining an interest in the player, Manchester United and Chelsea the two clubs heavily linked with making a move for him this summer, the midfielder having previously been part of the Blues’ youth set-up as a teenager.
Ahead of West Ham’s clash with Leeds United at the London Stadium on Monday night, Moyes insisted that he believes Rice should be valued at well over £100m, amid the current rumours regarding his future at the club.
“I certainly wouldn’t put a price on it,” Moyes said at his pre-match press conference. “The owners think he’s worth £100 million — well, I completely disagree with that. Far, far more than £100m.
“I look at the players who have joined some clubs from overseas and nowhere near had the impact Declan Rice would have. They could not lace Declan Rice’s boots.
“Also [he’s] English, [we’ve] just had Brexit, so I wouldn’t agree with the owners if Declan Rice was only £100m. No, I wouldn’t.”
Read – PL Stats Crunch: Man Utd end City’s run, fortress Anfield demolished, Kane’s ridiculous numbers
Read Also – Premier League Weekly Awards: Manchester is red, classy Kane and Xhaka’s howler