Declan Rice

[Colours never run]

Chelsea as a sensibly managed Club from top to bottom has been a total car crash with regards to how well they've done on the pitch to the money they've spent. Fernandez is still a top quality player worth very big money in today's market. Mudryk however for £70m, what the f*** were they thinking there?!

[Aztec Hammer]

Makes far more sense for Declan to stay at West Ham for another year, ideally as a European cup winning captain, lead us on another campaign and then have your pick of the truly elite teams.

That doesn’t include Arsenal.

[WCpete]

I think he'll end up staying but not by his choice. He'll stay because of undervalued bids.

[Colours never run]

I think he'll end up staying but not by his choice. He'll stay because of undervalued bids.

Fine by me!

[MB]

Makes far more sense for Declan to stay at West Ham for another year, ideally as a European cup winning captain, lead us on another campaign and then have your pick of the truly elite teams.

That doesn’t include Arsenal.

Agreed. I don’t see the point of the intermediate step of Arsenal. He has loads of European and International as well as over 200 career games in the Premier League.

More risk of him getting stuck and stagnating there than with us.

[DusseldorfHammer]

In your opinion.

Yep. Like you saying, that he would regret moving there.

There’s no absolute about it.

Yep. Like you saying, that he would regret moving there.

They haven’t won the league in 20 years. They had half a season of league winning results and outside of that haven’t been close.

They were league leaders at the start of April with the (with Brighton) youngest squad of the league.

How does he fit their squad character wise exactly?

He fits as they exactly need the type of natural leader and holding midfielder to protect their great talents up front. He would provide them with the right balance they still might lack. Xhaka is a decent player, but not as consistent and dynamic as Declan. Partey is hit and miss.

[DusseldorfHammer]

*I don't want to see him playing for that lot either!

[Cuenca 'ammer]

suffers an ACL playing for us next year and......?

of course I don't want it to happen but it's a year out of his career and at a difference of around 150K per week and I'm sure his missus tells him that all the time..can't blame her...

[OFT]

suffers an ACL playing for us next year and......?

of course I don't want it to happen but it's a year out of his career and at a difference of around 150K per week and I'm sure his missus tells him that all the time..can't blame her...

I know it's said 'he won't' but could he not negate that by signing a new contract with us though Cuenca?.

[e17]

suffers an ACL playing for us next year and......?

of course I don't want it to happen but it's a year out of his career and at a difference of around 150K per week and I'm sure his missus tells him that all the time..can't blame her...

I would by no means claim to be “itk”, but the Chelsea lot I work for are absolutely convinced he’s with us for another season, and they’re fairly knowledgeable based on working directly for his mates like Mason Mount.

Guess we shall see soon enough.

[paulhs1]

I would by no means claim to be “itk”, but the Chelsea lot I work for are absolutely convinced he’s with us for another season, and they’re fairly knowledgeable based on working directly for his mates like Mason Mount.

Guess we shall see soon enough.

Win the ECL and I think his head can be turned.

It no makes no financial sense for us to sell him now and it probably benefits Dec more by staying another season

[I am Legend]

Would be the dumbest move to sell him now. We don't need the money and any amount received will be spent on players that overall lower our quality over Rice on the pitch.

I'd let him walk for free at the end of his contract. Honour your contract and go anywhere you want for free, or sign a new one.

As for character. Rice and Arsenal are polar opposites.

[Aztec Hammer]

They were league leaders at the start of April with the (with Brighton) youngest squad of the league.

How bad must they have been to finish 10 points off then not even a couple of months later?

You can make a much stronger case that their contending period was the anomaly, given what their points hauls have looked like outside of that with Arteta.

Declan constantly says he wants to win titles, win leagues etc.

Why on Earth would you go to Arsenal if you want to do that? No Premier League in 20 years. No Champions League ever.

You’re saying why he fits them from a footballing perspective. That applies to pretty much every team. He fits everyone when it comes to that. But you said he fits them character-wise. I’m personally not sure there’s a club linked to him that feels as wrong for him in that sense as Arsenal.

[OFT]

But you said he fits them character-wise. I’m personally not sure there’s a club linked to him that feels as wrong for him in that sense as Arsenal.

Is very much the correct answer.

[paulhs1]

As for character. Rice and Arsenal are polar opposites.

One thing Rice is not and thats a snide, it's not in his character.

Within weeks Arteta will be teaching him to do the polar opposite of what his been taught by Moyes and Noble and if he doesnt then Arteta will pull out all sorts of **** like dragging him on to the pitch if he gets injured and screaming orders at him like a play ground bully.

Rice going to play under Arteta would be a terrible move.

[El brooko79]

Why on Earth would you go to Arsenal if you want to do that? No Premier League in 20 years. No Champions League ever.

Clubs are trying to sell new players the future not the past.
Whether you like it or not they have a young exciting team that's trying to build for the future and will very likely improve.
Both the players they currently have and who they buy.
Don't see it matters they have not won the league in 20 years.

Unfortunately I think Rice will be tempted by that.
But they have pony up and I'm not sure they will to the level we must hold out for. No messing around. This league is his price or piss off.

[DusseldorfHammer]

How bad must they have been to finish 10 points off then not even a couple of months later?

If I think of the current Arsenal team "bad" football-wise is not an attribute that comes up in mind, I'm sorry. They've played a really good season compared to their young age. They had their "blip" at the end of a long season. If people want to judge their season on their final 1 1/2 months, I think that's a bit short-sighted.

You can make a much stronger case that their contending period was the anomaly, given what their points hauls have looked like outside of that with Arteta.

Sort-sighted for me as well. Let's see how they look like in a year's time. I think it's then, when Arteta has to have shown on what type of managerial-level he is really stands.

Declan constantly says he wants to win titles, win leagues etc.

95% of pro's I've come across want that.

You’re saying why he fits them from a footballing perspective. That applies to pretty much every team. He fits everyone when it comes to that. But you said he fits them character-wise. I’m personally not sure there’s a club linked to him that feels as wrong for him in that sense as Arsenal.

No problem to disagree on that point. And I'm afraid Declan disagrees as well.

[Aztec Hammer]

Both the players they currently have and who they buy.
Don't see it matters they have not won the league in 20 years.

Unfortunately I think Rice will be tempted by that.
But they have pony up and I'm not sure they will to the level we must hold out for. No messing around. This league is his price or piss off.

It does matter though. It’s a very fragile case to be made that moving to Arsenal will mean Rice wins leagues in his careers like he wishes to. Past performance is often an indicator of future success. The reality is Arsenal have a track record of only being able to offer FA Cup wins in the last 20 years. They may have a good young team now (to what degree of good is a matter of opinion, I’ve seen them bossed off the pitch this season by teams Dec wouldn’t dream of moving to) but there is certainly nothing in either the recent (or even not so recent) history nor the present in terms of success to make the case that Declan joining them will result in the career honours he desires.

Man City. Does it matter that they have won 5 out of the last 6 leagues? Of course it does. It’s a proven track record of a successful football club winning titles.

There’s a huge difference between those two sides. Arsenal’s best season in what felt like forever couldn’t come close to Man City. And that’s with Man City fighting on all fronts and Arsenal getting dumped out of other competitions early.

Declan doesn’t need intermediate step up moves. He doesn’t need to spend 3 or 4 years at Arsenal fighting for Top 4 and getting bounced out of European competitions earlier than West Ham do.

He can move to a much better club than Arsenal next summer. One that gives him a far greater chance of winning the leagues and Champions Leagues that he clearly desires for his career.

[paulhs1]

He can move to a much better club than Arsenal next summer. One that gives him a far greater chance of winning the leagues and Champions Leagues that he clearly desires for his career.

This is the win/win for all parties.
Dec gets a proper dream move (not a fake one) after the euros and we get a year of football off him as well as £60m next summer.

Win the ECL and the decision will be made a lot easier

[Believer]

No problem to disagree on that point. And I'm afraid Declan disagrees as well.

Wow that’s a big statement. Did Declan tell you that or is there a quote somewhere that backs that up ?

I think he has held his cards very close to his chest and at a guess, only his nearest and dearest will know his plans.

Like I’ve said before, I don’t think he will make a decision until after the final..