Hammers give Chelsea Rice brush off

Hugh5outhon1895

2 years ago

Categories: News, Whispers

The Irons have made it clear to Chelsea they have no chance of buying Declan Rice this summer.

The Mail reports that Stamford Bridge boss Thomas Tuchel contacted David Sullivan and the Hammers board on the orders of new owner Todd Boehly about conducting a potential deal.

But they got the same answer as other interested clubs will get – Declan is going nowhere this season as has been repeated on various occasions.

It again demonstrated the resolve the Irons are determined to show as they continue to refuse all offers insisting that he will be sold for nothing less than £100m to £150 million anyway.

Now there are claims the Blues will return with an improved offer hoping that the Irons will take cash plus Armando Broja and Ross Barkley in a part exchange deal.

However, the Hammers want straight cash and would have no interest whatsoever in 29 year old Barkley when the time comes and that certainly won’t be this summer.

And the club remain West Ham are hopeful that Rice, who is contracted until the summer of 2024, will put pen to paper on a new deal before the start of the new season which gets underway on August 5.

Any new deal though may include a release clause for Rice, with the Hammers softening their approach in negotiations to make a new deal is signed.