West Ham are facing the possibility of losing their captain, Declan Rice
West Ham United are facing the possibility of losing their star midfielder and captain, Declan Rice, at the end of the season, according to manager David Moyes. Rice's contract with the Premier League club expires this season, and he has been heavily linked with Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United.
Moyes expressed his hope that Rice will remain with the club, but he acknowledged the reality that the 24-year-old could leave in the near future. The uncertainty surrounding Rice's future has led to contingency planning within the club's management.
"We honestly hope Dec stays, that's the biggest thing. We would love for him to be a West Ham player, but we're aware that might not be the case at the end of the season," Moyes said in a press conference before West Ham's match against Brentford on Sunday.
"So that's one of the scenarios around planning. There are plans that we have Dec here, but we're also fully aware there is a good chance we won't have him."
West Ham is currently 15th in the Premier League standings with 37 points and is focused on securing their Premier League status for next season. The club has also reached the semifinals of the Conference League, and Moyes is keen to bring silverware to the club for the first time since 1980.
"A lot of it will only start to go into place once we've realized we have kept our Premier League place," Moyes said. "We're watching a lot of players, a lot of games, doing a lot of scouting, but the truth is the focus has been on staying in the Premier League."
Rice has been a vital player for West Ham since breaking into the first team in 2017, making over 130 appearances and establishing himself as one of the best young midfielders in the Premier League. He has also become a regular for the England national team and is expected to play a key role for the Three Lions at the European Championships this summer.
The potential loss of Rice would be a major blow for West Ham, who have been one of the surprise packages of the Premier League this season, challenging for a European place and beating the likes of Manchester City, Tottenham, and Liverpool. Moyes has done an excellent job in turning around the club's fortunes since returning for a second spell in charge in 2019.
However, the Scottish manager will be aware that losing Rice could disrupt the team's progress and make it harder to compete with the bigger clubs in the Premier League. Moyes will be hoping that he can persuade Rice to stay at the London Stadium, but if the midfielder does leave, West Ham will need to find a suitable replacement to fill the void.
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