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West Ham are fighting for survival in the Premier League. They find themselves out of the relegation slots owing to their better goal difference and have to straighten their act if they are to avoid playing in the Championship next year.
For a team that harboured European ambitions at the start, their current fall from grace is surprising. Premier League continuity is a requirement at the Olympic Stadium, especially if they want to keep their stable of stars.
Declan Rice reacts to tonight's defeat. pic.twitter.com/RfeMCvJqJb
— West Ham United (@WestHam) April 5, 2023
Irrespective of their status, the West Ham hierarchy will be preparing strategies to hold off enquiries for Declan Rice. The holding midfielder is in the crosshairs of multiple teams and might prefer to move away.
Difficult to prize away Rice
Andy Carroll shared the dressing room with Rice and his stance. He shared that the Premier League is for the Londoner, who will look to continue playing in the English top flight. The towering striker also gave an interesting insight that prizing him away from England would be difficult.
Moreover, if West Ham are battling in the top flight, getting the Englan man out of Olympic Stadium will be a tough task. Rice has a strong affiliation with the club, where he came through the ranks after switching from Chelsea’s Cobham.
‘I can’t really see Declan Rice leaving the Premier League,’ Carroll told Metro.co.uk. ‘West Ham aren’t doing great at the moment but Declan loves West Ham. I was at the club with him when he was a kid coming through – he is a great guy and a great player.
‘We all know he needs to go to a top club. I can’t see him going outside of England, but he should go to a top-three or top-two club.”
Arsenal over Chelsea or Manchester United
West Ham’s woes have resulted in vultures circling around them. The Hammers have a generational English talent on their ranks and they want them.
Chelsea wants to make amends for letting him slip through their academy structure. Manchester United want an English star to dominate their midfield again. Arsenal has similar desires and holds Rice highly as he is a London boy who can easily acclimatize.
It’s time Declan Rice played for a real team 🤝 pic.twitter.com/yMGXSds9cs
— Gooner Chris (@ArsenalN7) April 6, 2023
Carroll is not a fan of how Chelsea or Manchester United deal with players. Their current playing philosophy does not inspire Luis Suarez’s Liverpool strike partner.
It is Mikel Arteta and Arsenal who he believes is the right fit. While not a big fan of the Gunners, it is the manager’s ethos that sways the decision for Carrol. He hailed the Spanish tactician for the way his teams and believe Rice will fit in the Emirates Stadium dressing room.
‘I’d like to see Declan at Arsenal to be honest – I’m not an Arsenal fan but I like the way they’re playing at the minute.
‘The way Mikel Arteta has them playing and the young lads coming through – you see the team and the average age is incredible.’
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