Paul Merson has urged Declan Rice to snub a move to Manchester United this summer, and has predicted the midfielder will stay at West Ham.
Rice has been linked with a move away from the Hammers, having established himself as one of the Premier League’s standout players over the past two years. United and Chelsea have been touted as possible destinations for the 23-year-old, who has continued his fine form after impressing in England’s run to the Euro 2020 final last year.
United have long been admirers of Rice, having identified him as a priority transfer target. With midfield an area for incoming manager Erik ten Hag to strengthen, the West Ham ace has been tipped as a summer target.
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His current club are not keen on letting their prized asset leave. David Moyes has previously valued the midfielder at £150million, while reports this week have suggested the Hammers are not interested in selling under any circumstances this summer.
Despite being linked with a move to Old Trafford, former Arsenal forward Merson believes it wouldn’t be the right move for Rice. The Sky Sports pundit also feels West Ham will be able to offer more than the United next season.
“I think West Ham will win the Europa League, I think they’ll be too strong for the other teams in it,” Merson told Sky Sports. “I think they’re a good team, and there’ll be Champions League football next season.
“If that happens, it’s going to be hard to get out of the club, because then he’ll have to turn around and say ‘you’re not big enough for me’. If they don’t get into it, then he can turn around and say ‘I need Champions League football’.
“He could get that at West Ham, so it’s a bit of a catch-22. It’s a hard one, he could be a legend at West Ham. He plays every week, he plays for England, it’s a hard one.
“West Ham showed a lot of faith in this lad. He got let go by Chelsea as a young kid, and West Ham took him. Of course he’s paid them back at the same time.
“When you look back at your career, it’s all about enjoying your football. You want to enjoy your football more than anything, and I think at the moment he enjoys his football there, he suits the way they play.
“If he goes to Man United, it’s going to be on his shoulders to turn Man United into a team to challenge Man City. That’s not going to happen. It’s an interesting one. I wouldn’t want to be in his shoes, to be honest. I’m going to say he stays.”
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