Rice release clause? No chance
Reports earlier last week suggested the player – or more accurately his agents – wanted such a clause in any new deal but it’s not a policy the Hammers have ever accepted and won’t in the case of their most valuable asset in many years.
Like various other clubs they take the view that when players sign new deals it should always be as a demonstration of their commitment to the club.
Inserting a release clause – generally the work of the player’s agent rather than the guy himself – immediately undermines such a scenario and renders a new deal meaningless.
The Rice people wanted a £60 million deal inserted but there is absolutely no way that will happen given that the fella is valued at over £100 million by the manager.
It will come as no surprise to anyone if he decides to move on next summer but not on the basis of any club getting him on the cheap which is what release clauses are solely about.