The performances of Hammers midfielder Declan Rice in recent weeks have surely boosted his market value to over £100million.
West Ham’s on-field captain and most trusted player on the pitch has been playing out of his skin in recent weeks, earning praise from all walks of football; including top professionals, former players and pundits as well as fans across the globe.
Many news outlets reported in the summer, including The Sun, that England’s star midfielder had a £100million price tag on his head in the transfer market.
The England international was attracting interest from the likes of Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United, with the Hammers desperate to hold on to their most prized possession.
However, following West Ham’s 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, manager David Moyes came out and said that he would be a “bargain” at that price.
Whilst £100million seems like a lot of money to pay out for a 22-year-old who is yet to experience the elite level, in today’s market and with his form right now, he should be worth more.
Rice has been a vital member of an improving Hammers squad who have just jumped into a top-four spot in the Premier League. Arguably without his services, West Ham might not be anywhere near that level.
The midfielder has a 92% passing accuracy in the Premier League this season and is averaging 2.0 interceptions, 2.3 tackles and 5.6 duels won per game. On top of this, he already has two goals and two assists to his name, as well as making at least 1.1 key passes per match.
For West Ham, this would be worth much more to them than £100million and as the manager said, they should demand an even bigger transfer fee if he continues this way.
To lead his club out and perform exceptionally well in almost every game he plays in, is a rare trait and one that the Hammers must treasure.
If he was to leave in the summer, Moyes and West Ham must make sure they get their money’s worth if they want continue improving as a club in the future.
