Former Premier League striker Bobby Zamora and Republic of Ireland international Stephen Kelly have been discussing the future of West Ham midfielder Declan Rice.
The 23-year-old remains at the centre of much speculation having gone from strength to strength for both club and country over the last 18 months.
Despite being under contract at the London Stadium until 2024 (Transfermarkt), it seems that the biggest clubs in Europe are determined to land Rice sooner rather than later.
Speaking on Stadium Astro, both Zamora and Kelly suggested one Premier League outfit, in particular, would welcome the England international.
There’s only a handful of clubs that would be able to afford him at that transfer fee. I would’ve said Chelsea, (but) they’re not doing anything I don’t think for a little while. Maybe Liverpool. Henderson’s replacement, possibly. Zamora stated
Kelly meanwhile agreed that a move to Anfield would appeal to Rice.
That’s the one that jumps out for me because I’m thinking about how he fits a system. What would get you to leave West Ham, the club you love? To go and play for a manager like Jurgen Klopp.
So far this season the midfield powerhouse has earned an impressive 7.19 average Sofascore rating from 28 Premier League outings.
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Whilst many top clubs, including Liverpool, would likely love to add the London-born ace to their ranks, the price tag would put the majority out of the reckoning.
Irons’ boss David Moyes has previously mooted a £100million demand for the £67.5million valued man.
However, given his continued improvement and the fees for players of similar or lesser stature in world football, West Ham could realistically hold out for something closer to the £150million mark.
