Is West Ham United’s Star Exit Just A Matter Of Time

West Ham star, Declan Rice, could be closing on an exit of the club as he has switched agents as interest in him continues to grow.

Declan Rice has arguably become one of the best defensive midfielders in the Premier League over the last two seasons. Now captain on the pitch for West Ham the England international has become crucial to the teams progress this season.

Rice has formed a brilliant partnership with Tomas Soucek in the heart of the Hammer’s midfield. The duo works fantastically well together at shielding the defence as well as contributing to the attack. Soucek can provide goals, and Rice can burst through defensive lines with his powerful running with the ball.

There was reported interest in Rice during the summer from Chelsea, but a move never materialised as the blues spent fortunes on other positions. The Atheltic have now reported that Rice has switched agents to his Father, who is a Chelsea season ticket holder. Rice was a Blues fan during his youth and spent time in their academy alongside Reece James and Mason Mount.

This connection to Chelsea is obvious and well known. Manager Frank Lampard would expect that it could prove to be an advantage for any negotiations for the player. Despite changing agent, it appears Rice is in no hurry to force a move due to his respect for West Ham and its fans.

The Athletic’s report also suggests that even if Chelsea were to meet the Hammer’s £80 million valuations in January, it would be rejected. The current financial football climate due to COVID-19 has left the club’s scrambling for money, and after their big splash in the summer, the Blues may not have the resources until the summer.

West Ham have no plans to lose Rice just yet though and are planning to get him tied down to a new bumper deal. The 21-year-old’s current contract expires in 2024, but any new offer would likely make him the highest-paid player at the club. Having said that it appears Rice is in no rush to sign a new deal and would task some convincing to tie himself down.

Hammer’s fans know how good Rice is and how much better he can still get. It is starting to seem that his exit to a silverware challenging side is inevitable, and fans would start to value the remaining time they have left with him.

With West Ham playing Chelsea on Monday night it will be fascinating to see how Rice plays and if there are any conversations between him and the Blues.