---
title: "Pundit Reactions: Rob Lee expects summer bids for Declan Rice"
canonical: "https://readwestham.com/2021/05/06/pundit-reactions-rob-lee-expects-summer-bids-for-declan-rice/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Dan Clubbe"
section: "West Ham News"
published: "2021-05-06T14:00:00Z"
modified: "2021-05-06T14:00:00Z"
---

# Pundit Reactions: Rob Lee expects summer bids for Declan Rice

Former Premier League midfielder Rob Lee expects [West Ham](https://readwestham.com/2021/05/06/keith-gillespie-believes-west-ham-target-could-leave-this-summer/) to receive bids for [Declan Rice](https://readwestham.com/2021/05/06/virals-declan-rice-lined-up-as-manchester-city-target/) this summer.

The 22-year-old has become a [key figure](https://www.whufc.com/news/articles/2021/march/31-march/declan-rice-england-experiences-are-massive-me) for the Hammers over the last two seasons and has been sorely missed whilst sidelined with a [knee injury](https://talksport.com/football/860133/declan-rice-west-ham-knee-injury/#:~:text=Rice%20has%20become%20arguably%20West,spot%20and%20Champions%20League%20qualification.) picked up on international duty.

Having seemingly held off constant interest from Chelsea, both Manchester United and [Manchester City have emerged](https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/manchester-city-consider-bid-for-west-hams-declan-rice-after-fernandinho-delays-new-deal-sqrbmp20r) as potential suitors more recently.

In the midst of the fresh interest, Lee, who played [280 times](https://www.premierleague.com/players/721/Robert-Lee/overview) in the Premier League told [Transfer Tavern](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/west-ham-news/exclusive-rob-lee-is-expcting-several-bids-for-declan-rice-e105/) that the Irons ace will be highly sought after.

> I think they’ll have to stave off bids for Declan Rice, especially if he does well at the Euros, which I fully expect him to do, then it’ll be a major talking point for them. If you said to David Moyes right now that Declan Rice will stay and they’ll sign Jesse Lingard and Tammy Abraham, I think he would take that. I think he would snap your hand off.

Prior to his injury, Rice had been an [ever-present figure](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/declan-rice/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/357662/saison/2020/wettbewerb/GB1/verein/379) in the heart of the midfield as Moyes’ men go on an unlikely quest for a top-four finish.

### READ WEST HAM VERDICT

Adding Abraham and Lingard without any major departures would indeed be an ideal summer for the Hammers.

Given the [finances involved](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2021/03/07/declan-rice-worth-far-100m-says-david-moyes/) in attempting to prize Rice from the London Stadium and the financial climate currently, the club can be confident of retiring their man for next season at least.

With those aforementioned signings and the strength already in the squad, there’s little cause for the [15-cap England man](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/declan-rice/nationalmannschaft/spieler/357662/verein_id/3299) to want to leave east London – just the way it should be.