Adrian Durham believes that Declan Rice is too good for West Ham United and needs to leave the club in order to progress his career.
Speaking on talkSPORT’s ‘Drive’ show on Wednesday, the presenter insisted that it was a mistake for the midfielder to remain at the Hammers last summer and that he needs to move to a bigger club as soon as possible as he is “too good to be slumming it at the bottom of the table”.
Rice is one of the most highly-rated young English players in the Premier League at the moment and has already played 82 times for the east London outfit in the top flight (Transfermarkt). This season he has been an ever present, starting 21 of their 22 league games (Transfermarkt), but the team as a whole has struggled and they currently sit in 16th place, just one point above the relegation zone (BBC Sport).
His performances have caught the eye of many and, as a result, he has consistently been linked with a move away from West Ham, with the Daily Mail recently reporting that Manchester United are keen to sign him in the summer.
Obviously most Hammers fans do not want to lose Rice. But perhaps surprisingly quite a few of them seemed to agree with Durham’s comments that the player needed to move on for the good of his career, suggesting that he has been let down by the board at West Ham and that he will struggle to achieve anything with them.
Here is what some had to say about it on Twitter.
Hate to say it as the guys a🤡 but can’t argue that. Why would a lad with the talent and potential want to stay with a club that is still a circus and no ambition from the owners.
If he chose to go idyhave no issu with him, but the board is a different matter.@davidgold— whufcpaul1 (@whufcpaul1) January 16, 2020
Durham is an utter plum but he’s spot on here (first time for everything).
Rice has been let down by the club (board) & there aint one fan that would blame him if he walked.#GSBOUT— David Clerihew (@DavidClerihew) January 16, 2020
Ain’t wrong, if any player wants to achieve anything in their career they simply cannot stay at West Ham. With this board we’ll never win/compete for anything
— Liam (@liamions) January 16, 2020
All true, he’ll be gone in the summer and fair play to him.
The board haven’t given him any players to show they want to go upwards and when joe Allen rolls into town hell chuckle and clear his locker
— Jamie Sinclair (@Jamie77sinclair) January 16, 2020
He’s right, he shouldn’t be in a team near the bottom of the league.
— Adam Tucker (@AdamTuckTuck) January 16, 2020
I, sadly, agree with this. Dec needs to go while he can. We’ll be in a relegation fight for the rest of this season and the squad will probably be dismantled in the summer so 2020/21 season will be another re-building season.
— Ian Westerling (@westers123) January 16, 2020
Fair assessment. We can’t keep him. Not fair to the lad.
— I am West Ham Van (@WesthamVan1) January 16, 2020
West Ham fans, would you blame Declan Rice if he wanted to leave the club? Let us know in the comments below…
