David Moyes and West Ham United have warned the football world that they will play hard ball with any club trying to sign Declan Rice this summer.
Rice, 23, has been linked with a summer move to Manchester United after developing into a crucial player not only for West Ham but England.
However, after being priced out of a transfer from West Ham last summer, it sounds like the same could happen 12 months later.
West Ham manager David Moyes has confirmed that if any club is interested in Rice, the minimum they’d have to pay is £150 million.
“The first thing to say is that he is not for sale,” Moyes told reporters, as per The Athletic.
“If you are interested, well, it will be north of that. One hundred (million pounds) was cheap last summer. One hundred and fifty just now would be minimum but he is not for sale. What I do know is that it means there are only certain clubs that could even consider it.”
Surely United could sign two midfielders for that money?
The England international has played a key role in the Hammers reaching the Europa League quarter-finals, which gives Moyes’ side a possible route into the Champions League if they are able to win the competition outright.
Moyes went on to back West Ham’s stance by referring to how Tottenham kept hold of Harry Kane, amid pressure from Manchester City.
“They said, ‘No, there is a price and if someone wants to pay the price, then we would probably do it. If they don’t then he’s not going anywhere’.
“That’s it. They have kept him. We have got Declan on the best part of a three-and-a-half-year contract. Just like Tottenham have got Kane on a contract. They control what happens.”
There is no denying that Rice would add a bit of steel to our midfield, but I don’t think you need to pay £150m for that.
He is simply not worth that sort of money.
