West Ham United's new sporting director Mark Noble has claimed the Hammers 'ain't got a chance' of keeping Declan Rice if the top clubs decide they want him.

The Lowdown: Rice's future

With Rice currently contracted until 2024, and West Ham retaining an option to extend this deal by a further year, there is currently no pressing need for David Moyes to part with one of his star players.

However, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has detailed that the Englishman is expected to leave in 2023, with The Guardian claiming that Manchester United, Manchester City, Newcastle United and Chelsea could all be in the race for a player expected to cost £100m.

While fans would have been hoping that the Hammers could hold on to the 23-year-old despite this interest, a new update has now come to light which indicates that Moyes could be powerless in stopping him exiting the London Stadium.

The Latest: Noble's comments

In an interview with The Guardian, Noble, who will officially start his new role on January 2, delivered a verdict that West Ham will be unable to prevent top clubs from signing their prized asset, as a result of the financial power that these sides possess:

"They’re financially too powerful. If a top club wants Declan Rice they’re just going to pay for him, full stop. You’ve seen it with Jack Grealish, with the best players. If the top boys want them, we ain’t got a chance."

[web_stories_embed url="https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-news-5/" title="West Ham latest news!" poster="" width="360" height="600" align="none"]

The Verdict: On the money

Noble is unfortunately on the money in his assessment of West Ham's chances of keeping the former Chelsea man, and the example of Jack Grealish, who left his boyhood club to join Manchester City in a £100m deal, is a very fitting one.

No matter how much of a bond the 'sensational' (Adam Crafton) midfielder has with the club, he ultimately wants to compete for as many trophies as possible in his career, and the Hammers' poor start to the season will have only accelerated his desire to leave.

The good news for West Ham is that they are in a position to demand a huge transfer fee for Rice in the summer, and they are not in a position where they need to sell him before that point, so Moyes will have the requisite funds to strengthen the rest of his squad should the star not be willing to commit to a new deal.