He is valued at around £100 million ($124 million), but that won't deter Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal and Bayern Munich in the race for his signature.Įven if Rice strikes it rich by ending his nine-year stay in east London, the scars from his painful Chelsea exit as a dejected 14-year-old will continue to spur him to new heights.
Rice has made it clear he wants to play in the Champions League, something currently beyond the wildest dreams of West Ham, who finished 14th in the Premier League this season. West Ham boss David Moyes last month admitted he was “fully aware” there was “a good chance” the England midfielder will be sold before the start of next season.
Yet as Rice blinked away tears of joy after the final whistle, the 24-year-old knew he would be leaving the Czech capital facing a defining moment in his career. I love this club, they’ve made me one of their own,“ Rice said. Written off by Chelsea as a tearful teenager and doubted even by the club where he eventually made his name, Rice will go down in history as only the third man to lift major silverware in West Ham colours.īobby Moore hoisted the 1964 FA Cup final and 1965 Cup Winners' Cup, while Billy Bonds was skipper when West Ham won the 19 FA Cups.īoth Bonds and Moore are West Ham legends, a status Rice now enjoys as well after Wednesday's cathartic Conference League triumph ended the club's trophy drought.
In what looks set to be his last West Ham game, Rice bowed out in fairytale fashion as Jarrod Bowen's last minute winner clinched a dramatic 2-1 victory against Fiorentina in Prague on Wednesday. LONDON: As Declan Rice cradled the Europa Conference League trophy in his arms, the West Ham captain could reflect on the end of a 43-year odyssey and the likely start of new chapter in his inspirational story.
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