Former West Ham goalkeeper David James believes Arsenal transfer target Declan Rice should stay with the Hammers if they win the Europa Conference League, or alternatively move abroad. The England international is hoping to write his name into West Ham history by lifting the club's first European trophy in 33 years with a win against Fiorentina tonight.
Mikel Arteta is keen to bolster his squad, particularly in midfield, with Rice being the priority target. football.london understands that the Gunners are confident they have a strong offer for Rice but feel that it will ultimately come down to the player to decide amid interest from a host of other elite European sides, including Bayern Munich and Manchester United.
The 24-year-old midfielder has expressed a desire to play for a team competing in the Champions League - something the Gunners can offer Rice next season after finishing second in the Premier League. The Hammers' captain is said to be settled in London which may hand Arsenal a huge advantage over their rivals when it comes to striking a deal for the England international.
Speaking to KingCasinoBonus, James said: "I feel Declan Rice and his team have been very respectful of West Ham. They’ve not created much noise in terms of suggesting where he wants to play next or even if he wants to leave at all.
"It’s a very English thing where players just do not discuss openly where they are going to be moving to. Whereas foreign players can openly reveal they will leave a club at the end of a season, play for their bitter rivals and no one bats an eyelid.
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"There is always a part of me, however, that thinks, ‘why does a player need to leave a club he loves?’ You look at Mark Noble and everything he achieved at West Ham; there would have been plenty of teams who wanted him at his peak, but he stayed there to the end and secured legendary status.
"Declan Rice has the rare chance to do that, same as Harry Kane at Tottenham. My point is, why can’t a player fall in love with a club and stay there for the duration of their career?
"Finances are the easy answer, because you could earn three, four or even five times as much at some of these gargantuan clubs. If it were just purely down to the love of the club, I’m sure he would stay."
James believes Rice is in a similar situation to Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane, but has also urged the West Ham captain to consider following Jude Bellingham's example by moving abroad - rather than to a Premier League rival. Bellingham is on the verge of completing a move to Real Madrid this summer after impressing during his time in Germany with Borussia Dortmund.
"I think he is in a similar situation as Harry Kane, whereby West Ham fans would not begrudge him a move," James continued. "Personally, I would love to see him play abroad for two reasons.
"The first, from a selfish point of view, is that I wouldn’t have to see him playing against West Ham! He’d undoubtedly cause them all sorts of problems as well, because he is such a solid professional and would take the emotion out of it.
"But secondly, for him personally, he would gain so much experience from playing abroad. You look at the success of Jude Bellingham at Borussia Dortmund, there is no reason why Rice couldn’t follow suit and go and become a legend with a foreign club, before returning to the UK as a much more developed player.
"He could experience football in the same way I did when I was very late in my career; experiencing a new culture, becoming a more rounded player. I think we would all be able to enjoy Declan Rice on another level."
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