Declan heads into the end game

Declan Rice is suddenly doing a lot of talk on his future to his chosen media vehicle The Times

That he is doing so and chose to tell us that he wants to stay at West Ham United was music to everybody’s ears and it was greeted by one of ClaretandHugh‘s insiders – a regular communicant on the phone – with the words: “Never a doubt that’s what he always wanted.”

It would certainly be a tough one for him to go back on now, having made his views so explicit, and it’s more good news to realise that he in all probability spoke to his agent before doing so.

You don’t pay an adviser the sort of money that’s involved to then turn your back on him and do things your way so expect a deal to be done sometime soon as Declan wants.

The better known aspects of the contract – now widely available via the click of a google search button – are well known.

What may not be is that the Hammers want him to agree a five year deal with, as is become custom and practice,  options attached.

Beyond that there will be clauses concerning pay reviews and raises over the duration of the contract as has been the case when the likes of Cresswell, Antonio and the long gone and best forgotten Sakho.

We are still on the road to a conclusion but the end game is now at hand.

COYI