Rice contract update

West Ham are still waiting for word from Declan Rice’s agents that they are ready to accept a deal which would tie the 19 year old to the club for a further five years.

Declan has given two or three interviews to the Times and the Premier League website over recent weeks which have more than suggested that he is desperate to sign a new deal at the London Stadium.

And a recent tweet showing a heart and crossed Irons from him has once again stoked up hopes that he is ready to put pen to paper.

In his Times comments he made it clear he wanted to stay at West Ham and that he hoped the deal would be agreed “soon.”

And during the PL website story he spoke of his ambition to become a role model and offer hope to other youngsters trying to make it in the PL.

He said: “Most of the academy lads are maybe looking up to me and thinking that’s where I want to go next.”

The biggest element in his decision making process though came when he told The Times  he realised that regular first team football was his priority at this stage of his career – a scenario which would not necessarily apply at a top six club.

There is growing confidence a deal will be done but at this stage the same contract lies on the table as has been there for several weeks although some tweaking is certainly possible and should be expected.

One senior source told CandH personally this morning: “Obviously, we have seen Dec’s comments, like everybody else, and we have always been confident he will remain a Hammer. At this stage though things are where they have been.”