Declan Rice should remain at West Ham for the time being despite potential interest in him, according to former Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Paddy Kenny.

The Lowdown: West Ham's best player?

The Hammers are in exceptional form at the moment, sitting third in the Premier League and already through to the Europa League knockout stage, with top-performing players throughout David Moyes' squad. Rice is often the first name on the team sheet, having matured into arguably a world-class midfielder, proving to be influential for club and country.

The 22-year-old has been linked with a move away from West Ham, and the Irons will need to accept that constant reports are likely to emerge now, considering how high his stock has grown.

The Latest: Kenny tells Rice to stay put

Speaking to Football Insider, Kenny told Rice that he should remain in east London, both because of the team's current form and because he owes it to the club:

"I don’t think there is any reason he has to leave. They are pushing for the Champions League. They have got something special going on there.

"They need to keep hold of their players if they are going to maintain what they are doing now.

"If I’m brutally honest, I think he owes it to West Ham big time for what they’ve done for him.

"Rice is one of the players who has got them there. Obviously, they have had this investment now so £100m to them might be nothing."

The Verdict: No reason for Rice to leave

Kenny is correct in saying that there should be no reason why Rice would want to leave West Ham currently, given how much they are thriving in all competitions. That being said, it could be easy for his head to be turned if a Champions League club make a huge bid for him, especially Chelsea, who he supported as a boy.

The 22-year-old, who has been hailed as 'fantastic' by Darren Bent', has a deal running with the Irons until 2024, so at least the club knows that only a massive amount of money could potentially prise him away from east London.

In other news, a pundit has shut down one West Ham transfer rumour. Read more here.