Three big problems arise as West Ham are told that Declan Rice is ‘going to leave’ this summer

West Ham are facing a tougher than ever battle to retain the services of Declan Rice beyond this season after a report cited three reasons why he is likely to leave the London Stadium.

The England midfielder has attracted attention from the biggest Premier League clubs following his recent rise. Not only has he reached the milestone of 150 top flight games for the Hammers, he is a crucial player for his country.

What’s more, he’s only recently turned 23 so has the best years of his career ahead of him.

Evidence of his maturity on the football pitch is evident with his leadership skills, with and without the Hammers armband.

While he remains fully focused on their battle for a top-four finish and their Europa League adventure, his long-term future remains on the agenda.

And with two and a half years left on his deal, efforts to reward him with an extension have so far failed. Indeed, that has only served to encourage some of the Premier League’s big hitters, with Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City all admirers.

And now the Daily Telegraph report that the Hammers face a harder than ever battle to retain the midfielder’s services this summer.

They report three issues are working against David Moyes’ side – and that a blockbuster move away from the London Stadium awaits.

The first issue cited is the failure to attract new players to the London Stadium in January. Moyes tried, without success, to bolster his defence and his attack.

Kalvin Phillips offer was merely lip service

Furthermore, they saw a club record £50m bid for Leeds’ Kalvin Phillips rejected. The paper though claims that was ‘unrealistic’ and indicates that may have been done in a futile effort to appease Rice, with the pair good friends.

In addition, the Telegraph claims that failure to secure a top-four finish could signal the back of Rice. Citing his ambitions of playing in the Champions League, a finish of fifth or lower could well spell the end of his time at the club.

Manchester United make Rice their number one priority

Manchester United's transfer round up including Declan Rice, Bruno Fernandes and David de Gea.

And finally, Rice saw his England teammate Jack Grealish move to Manchester City last summer. The British record deal saw Grealish sign a deal worth around £380,000 a week.

Rice knows he too could earn parity, or close to it, with a similar move.

And despite West Ham’s best efforts to keep him, they would simply be unable to match the wages on offer elsewhere.

Quite where he ends up remains anyone’s guess. However, the Hammers will surely look to achieve close to a British record fee for their talismanic midfielder should he depart.

Declan Rice is leaving, claims pundit

Rice, meanwhile, looks certain to leave the London Stadium this summer by QPR striker Charlie Austin.

Speaking to talkSPORT, he claims the failure to finish fourth will see the star moving on.

“I’m saying West Ham have a better chance come the summer, keeping hold of Declan Rice with them making the top four than what they do without,” Austin said.

“If they don’t make top four, it’s likely Declan Rice is going to leave.

“If they went and got a striker, or strikers, to help them get into the top four, and they achieve that, it’s more likely Declan Rice will stay at West Ham.

“This is West Ham’s time to really go and push on, sign someone to stamp it and say ‘we’re going to have a right go, we’re going to try and get into the Champions League’.

“Everybody has a time, and what a time it is for West Ham to do it, look at the clubs around them [Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham], they haven’t strengthened, not enough.

“There’s not getting away from it, and it’s going to happen in two months time, three months time, I know everyone keeps going on about it, but Declan Rice is going to come up again.

“If they don’t get Champions League football, he is going to leave.”

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