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Alleged Rice contract demand not his call

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Normally it’s important not to take media reports TOO seriously.

However,  the Telegraph report claiming Declan Rice has snubbed two improved contracts at West Ham contains  has to be because there’s too much information in there not to!

What struck me was the paragraph in which the ‘paper claims he – or his agent Dad – wants to be informed if any bids of £60million come in for him.

It’s out  of order.

The claim is he hasn’t cost the Hammers anything and thus the club can’t go looking for inflated prices which frankly is neither true or should be demanded if that’s the case..

It needs to be remembered that the Hammers paid his expenses whilst growing up through the academy and that in the real world it is their job to decide his value – not his or his agent.

That should have been sorted by his representatives agreed the current deal by ensuring that an escape clause was included in the current contract – if it wasn’t that’s their problem.

I don’t expect the lad to be leaving this summer or maybe next but if David Moyes reckons he’s worth £100 million then £100 million it is.

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Hugh Southon is a lifelong Iron and the founding editor of ClaretandHugh. He is a national newspaper journalist of many years experience and was Bobby Moore's 'ghost' writer during the great man's lifetime. He describes ClaretandHugh as "the Hammers daily newspaper!"

Follow on Twitter @hughsouthon

20 comments

  • GaryD says:

    If this is true, then time to cash out.
    Rice has been good at the Euros, but not better than Philips. Furthermore, he does not seem to attract much attention from the big European teams, which is telling. Soucek has shown he is at least as good as Rice, so let’s go get him a new partner. Ask him his preference.
    Players act like commodities, so they need to be treated as such.

  • Graham Watts says:

    If the current rumour has any traction then play hard ball, a call to Levy of Spuds will show you how its done. Of course in all other respects Levy is off limits!!

  • West Ham Fan No 32 says:

    Pay him 100k a week and see what he says, he is a player that gives his all every game. Put in a £100m release clause as part of the deal, it’s not rocket science, instead of paying time wasters the big bucks pay it to players that have earned it at our club.

  • ljd1980 says:

    Is it likely that Rice and his agent wouldn’t know about any bids, whether they’re below, above or at £60m, before the Club do, and so would feel the need to be “informed”?! Feels to me – but obviously I don’t know for sure – that Declan and his Dad would know about any interest from other clubs well before West Ham do. Indeed, surely the role of any agent acting in the best interests of his player would be to generate some of that interest in the first place.

  • DJHammer says:

    I think the article has been recycled, definitely read something similar yonks ago.

    Nevertheless, skulduggery has been part and parcel of football for an eternity, whenever we have a gem on our team there always tends to be a clamour within the written press to prise them out of our club well below true market value. Bang out of order.

    I don’t want to see him get his head turned whilst being surrounded by England teammates.

  • James says:

    I don’t think we should all start slagging off Declan over a comment you do not know is true! In which I refer to is the 60mill part, I don’t believe this is something which Declan has actually said, and we do not know if that’s true.

    Yes he has rejected a new contract offer, but that’s not uncommon. If the contract offered does not meet the salary he believes he is worth, then why would he accept it.

  • The Cat says:

    I would like to add that if it is solely about Pay, then it is OBVIOUS he has to be the highest earner at the club…… Just makes sense!

  • The Cat says:

    This is a bit of engineered opportunism from his agent (Dad), hoovering up all of the media attention on Dec as well as planning (initiating and plotting) his escape. Maybe he is determined to play alongside his mate Mason. Family are so often are the worst people to represent footballers as their agents. They have little or no long term view of development or legacy and are ALWAYS in a hurry.
    I think it is nailed on that this has come from Team Dec but who initiated it?
    I wonder what these footballers talk about during the downtime when on international duty?
    I can’t say that I’m surprised as our Dec loves to talk and seems to be in awe of all of these superstars….. Maybe he is looking at and speaking to Harry Kane?
    If Dec is getting itchy feet and he’s as down to earth as you can get… what hope have we got for the future?
    The David Moyes factor is something team Dec should watch out for. Moyes has been here before with Rooney and I can’t see him rolling over anytime soon with this engineered opportunism.

  • Alex says:

    Out of order really whys his dad telling reporters this and during a tournament?! Apparently the wages offered are lower than the likes of Yarmo! I think he deserved to be made one of top earners

    • With due respect the wages are in advance of anyone at the club but don’t expect details – we don’t do that anymore after the abuse we got when we revealed them last time

      • mojen says:

        Hugh when you say in advance of anyone at the club do you mean the highest offered to anyone there ? Ex has said still below Yarmalenko ?

        • I know precisely what he’s been offered from agents involved and it makes him the highest earner by a distance Mojen. Quite beyong anything else there would be no point in offering him less than anyone at the club as the effective captain with APPARENTLY other clubs after him. Illogical. It’s a very big offer but his agent says not enough

  • Martin Simpson says:

    I’m minded to recall how an even younger Dec was very single minded in how he ditched the Irish for England.

    He knows what he wants and will get it. That doesn’t necessarily mean he will leave this summer but our experience with Payet and Arnautovich should tell us you can only keep a player for so long if they are wanting to leave.

  • Stubbo says:

    Often disagree with what you write Hugh, but on this I’m in total agreement.

    • Many do Stubbo LOL. Better than being ignored 🙂

    • Julian Woodhouse says:

      This will be manna to the likes of Chelsea, Man Utd, Man City et Al, the chink of light in any chase they might start for him. The club has no responsibility to keep him informed of any offer, he is under contract to it for a good few years yet. I must admit to be very disappointed if Declan has played any part in this.

  • mark wiggins says:

    Well said Hugh , maybe we should even increase it after his England performances . 120 million LOl

  • mojen says:

    Starting to believe his own publicity ? Absolutely hold him to his contract Unrelated of course but what is it before a fall ? oh yes.

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