‘We promised him he could go. He doesn’t want to be here’: £100m Declan Rice is leaving West Ham, owner David Sullivan confirms, as he expects bids TODAY after star turned down £200k-per-week offers
West Ham chairman David Sullivan has revealed that Declan Rice will be allowed to leave the club during the summer window.
The England international’s future in east London has been the centre of debate in recent weeks, after drawing interest from a number of Europe’s elite clubs.
The Hammers had not engaged in transfer talk over Rice until their season had come to an end but, after their Europa Conference League final victory, it seems a decision has been made.
Speaking to talkSPORT on Thursday, Sullivan said: ‘I think it has to be [his last game]. We promised him he could go. He set his heart on going.
‘You can’t ask for a man who has committed more to us this season. In due course, he has to get on and we have to get a replacement – or several replacements.
Declan Rice has been told by West Ham that he will be allowed to leave the club in summer
Club chairman David Sullivan (right) revealed that Rice had turned down a new deal at the London Stadium just 18 months ago
‘It’s not something we want to happen. We offered him £200,000-a-week 18 months ago. He turned it down.
‘It’s cost him £10million to stay at West Ham in that time (in lost wages). And he wants to go. You can’t keep a player who doesn’t want to be there.’
Mail Sport revealed that Arsenal will table a formal offer for West Ham’s captain in the coming days, with Hammers chairman Sullivan valuing Rice at over £100million.
‘I think the offers will start to come today,’ Sullivan explained. ‘There are three or four clubs who have shown interest, but out of respect to West Ham, while we’re still playing, you don’t make offers for players. ‘That’s not the way decent clubs do things.’
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