West Ham will reject any offers for Declan Rice this summer, first-team coach Stuart Pearce has told talkSPORT.
The versatile 21-year-old has been strongly linked with a return to boyhood club Chelsea during this transfer window after a stellar season for the Hammers.
Chelsea have already spent over £130million on new arrivals this summer, with German wonderkid Kai Havertz expected to push that figure over the £200m mark in the coming days.
AFP or licensors
And it is claimed Blues manager Frank Lampard has made Rice his next target as a potential replacement for N’Golo Kante, who has been linked with a move to Italy.
Rice is understood to be valued at around £80m by West Ham, and has been hailed as ‘this generation’s Michael Carrick’ by former Premier League ace Jamie O’Hara, who has urged Chelsea to wrap up a deal.
But Pearce, who returned to West Ham in August as a first-team coach under David Moyes, has revealed the club have no intention of letting one of their best players go.
And he also joked the Hammers could even make a stunning move to bring Lionel Messi to the London Stadium!
Well, we assume he was joking, but then Gold and Sullivan do like signing 33-year-old strikers…
getty
Asked if West Ham are going to reject offers for Rice this summer, talkSPORT regular Pearce told the Sports Breakfast:
“Of course we are, don’t be so ridiculous… He’s one of our best players!
“We might even have a nibble at Messi, put that in your headline why don’t ya!”
Don’t mind if we do, Stu…
You can listen to what Pearce told talkSPORT in the clip above!
Play our new talkSPORT Selector game NOW! Simply pick one winning Premier League team each Gameweek and you could win a share of £10,000. Full terms and conditions apply. BeGambleAware.Org.
from Football - news, transfers, fixtures, scores, pictures https://ift.tt/2EQerVJ
via IFTTT
No Comment