Declan Rice is ‘best midfielder in Europe’ and would cost suitors ‘humongous’ money, warns David Moyes

Jack Rosser @JackRosser_4 February 2022

David Moyes has warned Declan Rice’s suitors that they will have to fork out “humongous” money to prise him from West Ham and that Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City missed their chance to get him for a bargain £100million in the summer.

The Scot says Rice’s price tag last summer was equivalent to the Hammers captain being in the sales.

A host of top six clubs have long tracked the England international and rate him as one of the top midfielders in Europe, let alone the Premier League.

Rice rejected two new contract offers earlier this season but is under contract until 2024 with the club holding the option of another year.

West Ham have never received a formal offer for the 23-year-old, who has not agitated to leave the club, but holds ambitions of competing for the Premier League title and in the Champions League.

Following suggestions that a January window which saw West Ham, who are fifth in the Premier League, go without any new signings would hasten his departure this summer, Moyes had a stark warning.

“I can’t stop that, except say to them that you will need humongous money to get close,” said the West Ham manager.

“That’s what you would need to do. They can write all they like, but he’s here for certainly a few years.

“I said in the summer that I thought Declan Rice was £100million. That was the sales, that was cheap, that was your chance to get Declan Rice cheap. You can make your mind up what I’m talking about.

“There’s very few people like him out there. It’s like buying something that there isn’t many of them. He is a special, special edition, a special player and for me he is probably the best midfield player in Europe at this present time.”

Asked about Rice’s commitment to West Ham, Moyes said: “I feel it. He’s under contract and we’re really pleased to have him.”

The FA via Getty Images

It was not for the want of trying that West Ham endured a barren transfer window. Club record offers were lodged for the likes of Rice’s midfield partner with England, Kalvin Phillips, and Benfica striker Darwin Nunez, though both were swiftly rejected and Moyes decided against signing a lower calibre of player.

“Would we have liked to have added to the squad? Yes, we would have,” said Moyes.

“We’ve tried to be ambitious with what we’re doing. I want to take the club forward. I don’t want back-up players to give me extra in the squad. I didn’t need to pad the squad out.

“I didn’t feel as if it was that sort of transfer window for me, as it wasn’t for lots of other teams. I wanted to try and bring in players who I felt could really challenge to take the jersey off players who were already there.”

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