‘I’m a little bit concerned’ – West Ham legend thinks Rice could be tempted by Chelsea

Posted by

Captured by West Ham after he was released by Chelsea as a youngster, former Hammers academy director, Tony Carr, has his concerns that Declan Rice could be tempted by a return to the Blues.

The east Londoners have always been known as a selling club, and despite bringing through the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick, Frank Lampard and Joe Cole, the Hammers have never been able to hold onto their homegrown talents for long.

Carr was employed by the club for 43 years, the majority of which was spent overseeing the academy, and he doesn’t want to see another top class player move on to pastures new.

“I’m a little bit concerned. I hope he stays with West Ham I really do,” Carr said on the We Are West Ham podcast, cited by The Sun.

“He’s developing into a top player. His goal the other night against Watford – terrific.

“Unfortunately, sometimes agents get involved – I’m not saying this is Declan’s agent – but if someone says ‘we’re going to double your money if you come to us’, it’s hard to turn down and let loyalty be the deciding factor.

“I hope it doesn’t come to that. I hope he just comes out and says ‘I’m happy to stay at West Ham, I’m still developing as a player, they’ve brought me from obscurity, released from Chelsea, and now into the England team’.”

Given that Rice could have the option of playing alongside Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech and the like, and being in with a chance of genuine honours at the end of the 2020/21 campaign, staying at West Ham is going to be a tough sell for David Moyes.

Carr is clearly be banking on the fact that it’s been the Hammers’ nurturing of the midfielder that has got him to the position he’s in now, with that loyalty needing to be repaid in a sense.

However, as we all know, there’s no real loyalty in football these days.

More Stories David Moyes Declan Rice Frank Lampard Hakim Ziyech Joe Cole Michael Carrick Rio Ferdinand Timo Werner