Rice and United: Hammers give their answer

You know it’s the international break when stories linking Manchester United with Declan Rice start surfacing almost every day with denials from the player quickly following.

Virtually every media outlet has been playing copycat on the same story day in day out given that the player has repeated probably a dozen times he’s going nowhere.

However, as a result of the constant rumours and denials we went to our top source at the club in a bid to sort the issue out once and for all from their perspective.

And this afternoon we were told categorically that at no stage since the speculation started has there been either an inquiry or a bid.

We were told a few minutes ago by e mail in response to the straightforward question: ‘Have there been any bids or inquiries’ that there had never been an approach from United at either level.

We were told by e mail:”Obviously we are aware of all that’s been said and written but the honest answer is that there has been nothing from Manchester United at all or anywhere else.

“There were murmurings among agents back in the summer but it was never going anywhere. It won’t now either because he’s not for sale, is under contract for five years and we refuse to put a valuation on him for those reasons.”