Given the season that West Ham United have had in 2022/23, their Europa Conference League campaign notwithstanding, it’s no real surprise to understand that their captain, Declan Rice, might want to continue his career elsewhere.
Just like Harry Kane at Tottenham, Rice has been loyal to his club but appears to have a desire to win the big trophies, and who can blame him.
The 24-year-old midfielder is certainly coveted by a number of teams and is unlikely to be short of offers in the close season, however, one or two clubs might think twice when they realise just how much the England international is going to cost.
Indeed, sources have told ESPN that Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United and Liverpool are all monitoring developments but they will have to stump up £100m for Rice’s services.
Though he’d be a fine addition to any side, Newcastle may well find themselves out of the running given that The Sun previously reported that their entire transfer budget for the summer would be in the region of £100m-£150m.
It does seem that since that ceiling for a £100m player was broken, that’s a nice round number that clubs are expecting for their best exponents.
Those sort of figures are only within reach for the biggest clubs in the division, and whilst it’s believed that the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) has vast wealth at its disposal, it makes a change to see the distribution of that in terms of the football club ownership is being done properly rather than just thrown at any and every player in the way that Chelsea have done.
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