in a recent report subway, it has been mentioned that West Ham have accepted the loss of their captain Declan Rice this summer. It has been mentioned that despite attracting interest from Chelsea, the England midfielder is more likely to complete a move to Arsenal.
Rice’s campaign with West Ham so far this season
Rice is in fine form after some influential displays in the Midlands following an impressive performance with England in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. However, he has scored just twice and provided two assists in 29 appearances for the Hammers in all competitions this season. However, the West Ham captain deserved a lot of credit for establishing his footing in midfield and in the centre.
The England star has been solid in midfield, averaging 2.2 tackles, 1.5 interceptions, 1.4 clearances, 1.0 shots and 1.2 key passes per game in the Premier League.After completing 89.2 per cent of his pass attempts in England’s First Division, he was accurate even when distributing possession to his teammates (data from who scored).
Can West Ham make a last-ditch effort to hold him out for another year?
West Ham’s hopes of tying Rice to a new contract have all but been dashed following a poor performance in the Premier League this season. The east London club languished in 17th, hovering just above the relegation zone above Bournemouth.
Rice has made it clear he wants to play in the Champions League. As determined as he is to do it at the Hammers, David Moyes’ side have regressed unimaginably backwards in terms of what has happened so far this season. As such, West Ham have no choice but to sanction his exit in the summer transfer window.
The 24-year-old hopes to play in European competition, so the Emirates Stadium may be the preferred destination compared to Chelsea, with top-four qualification looking unlikely. While the Blues are capable of offering huge fees, their bids have been significantly weakened compared to the Gunners. However, only time will tell what Rice’s future holds at the end of the season.
