Moyes makes £100m Rice claim amid Chelsea, Man Utd links

James Holland
David Moyes Declan Rice

David Moyes says West Ham star Declan Rice is ‘worth far more than £100million’ amid links with Chelsea and Man Utd.

The England international has been a stalwart in midfield for the Hammers this season.

His performances alongside Tomas Soucek have helped them to challenge for a Champions League spot.


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However, they’ve also attracted interest from some of the Premier League’s top clubs.

Chelsea officials supposedly want him to partner N’Golo Kante at Stamford Bridge.

Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is also a big admirer.

Ahead of their clash with Leeds United, Moyes was asked about Rice’s future at West Ham.

The manager told Sky Sports: “I don’t agree with the owners that Declan Rice is a £100million footballer. Far, far more than £100m. Far more.

“I look at the players who have joined some clubs from overseas and come in and nowhere near had the impact Declan Rice would have.

“I certainly wouldn’t put a price on it. You can decide which figure you want to put on it but I wouldn’t be sanctioning anything like that, that’s for sure.”

West Ham will need to see off competition from Everton, Spurs and Chelsea for a top four place.

Moyes was also asked if West Ham would need Champions League football to keep Rice.

He responded: “No, because Declan is under contract first and foremost, so he can’t go anywhere no matter what, and I keep saying it and I hope people know that when I say something, I mean it.

“We’ve not had an offer for Declan Rice and I hope we don’t get one. And you’ve got an idea now of where we’d need to be if it was even going to be considered, certainly by me.

“If we could finish in Europe, in some sort of European position, I think it would be progress. And that would be progress for Declan Rice as well because he’s been at West Ham while they’ve been bobbing around the bottom, so this is new for Declan as well.

“Declan seems very settled and in fact he is captaining West Ham, he plays for England, and I want to keep Declan thinking that his ambitions can be achieved here at West Ham. I will have to keep pushing that and keep pushing that with the owners as well.

“For me, I have watched the prices of some players who have gone to clubs recently and they could not lace Declan Rice’s boots.”