"He needs to go play at a different club" - Gary Neville urges Arsenal target to leave current club in the summer transfer window
Reported Arsenal target Declan Rice has been urged by Gary Neville to leave West Ham United and play at a different club to further his career.
According to Graeme Bailey (h/t TeamTalk), the Hammers would want at least £100 million for Rice, who is on the radar of Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City.
Neville believes that a move to a bigger club than West Ham could help the Englishman take his career to the next level. However, the Manchester United legend doesn't think the Arsenal target warrants a nine-digit price tag.
Speaking on Sky Sports News (h/t HITC), Neville said:
"...When I look at the world-class holding midfield players and the players of that type, Declan Rice doesn’t score or assist enough goals. So, you put him into that category of more of a destroyer.
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"You’ve then got to be someone I think is highly competent on the ball in linking play and that knowledge of the subtleties of getting on the ball from the back four. I personally feel, at this moment in time, that Declan does need to go work under a different set-up.
"He needs to sort of drive forward in his career, he needs to go play at a different club. That’s nothing against West Ham or David Moyes, I think he’s done a brilliant job with Declan Rice. Declan Rice has had a great few years.
"But, for me, I wouldn’t be spending £100-120m on Declan Rice if I was Manchester United this summer. I would spend £50-60m on Declan Rice."
Rice has scored 12 goals and provided as many assists in 226 senior appearances across competitions for West Ham so far.
What David Moyes has said about Arsenal target leaving West Ham in the future
West Ham United manager David Moyes is hopeful that Arsenal target Declan Rice will stay with the London Stadium outfit for a long time.
Sources with an understanding of Declan Rice’s situation have revealed Arsenal are in sustained contacts with the player’s representatives ahead of a summer deal & are willing to hand him a long-term contract worth in excess of £200k-a-week. [@SportsPeteO] #afc
🚨 Sources with an understanding of Declan Rice’s situation have revealed Arsenal are in sustained contacts with the player’s representatives ahead of a summer deal & are willing to hand him a long-term contract worth in excess of £200k-a-week. [@SportsPeteO] #afc https://t.co/tKXqsE4h2u
However, if Rice were to leave the Hammers, then the Scottish tactician believes he will sell for more than what Chelsea paid to sign Enzo Fernandez in January. The Blues paid a British record fee of £105 million to SL Benfica for his signature.
After his team's 1-1 league draw against Newcastle United on 4 February, Moyes was asked if Rice leaving West Ham was inevitable. The former Everton boss replied (h/t Daily Mail):
"I hope not, I hope he sees out his time here. But look, there’s a lot of talk about it and when you see what’s going about for the prices, I think Dec will be blowing that British record out of the water, that’s for sure, when it comes around."