David Moyes insists West Ham United will do everything possible to keep Declan Rice and Jesse Lingard in east London this summer.
The Hammers concluded a fine season in sixth place after a 3-0 victory against Southampton on Sunday, their highest Premier League finish since 1999 when Harry Redknapp was in charge.
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Three points against a beleaguered Saints side ensured the club also recorded their highest points total in the Premier League, winning a record 19 games in the process.
While Lingard’s nine goals after his loan move in January from Manchester United captured many headlines, the continued emergence of Rice as one of the best midfielders in the league guaranteed European football at the final push.
Both England players are likely to play some part under Gareth Southgate during the rearranged Euro 2020 tournament this summer, yet their club futures after the summer remain somewhat unclear.
Lingard will definitely return to Old Trafford at the end of his loan, with Rice also coveted by some of the biggest sides in the Premier League.
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Yet Moyes believes the West Ham vice-captain will be playing a crucial role in their Europa League campaign next season.
“I don’t think David Sullivan, David Gold or myself have any intention of losing Declan Rice,” Moyes said.
“We have just qualified for Europe, I think it is a brilliant achievement and Declan is a big part of that and we want him to be a big part of what we do next year as well.”
With Bruno Fernandes one of the first names on the team sheet for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Lingard’s future at Man United remains murky.
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Yet the interest from West Ham is genuine after his sparkling form saw him finish with 13 goal involvements in 16 games, with the Scot keen to keep the 28-year-old in east London if financial restrictions are not in place.
“I hope Jesse is here [next season], we would like to keep him but there is no guarantee, he is not our player,” he added.
“He has done an exceptional job for us on loan and we will see where we go from there.
“I hope Jesse will also appreciate that West Ham has been good for Jesse. I think he was in a place where maybe there are not many other clubs where what he has done here would have happened for him.
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“We have given him an opportunity and a platform. [We had] a group of players that were in good form going into January, Jesse helped us but he joined a group of players with momentum and a club that was doing well and on the up.
“So, yes. I would like to keep Jesse.”
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