West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini will personally enter contract talks with Declan Rice amid a stalemate in negotiations, according to Claret and Hugh.
The Hammers news website, which is a reliable source for insider information, report that the Hammers are confident that the crucial deal will be agreed after tabling an offer worth £15,000-a-week.
Claret and Hugh claim that the club are keen to get Pellegrini involved in discussions, and the boss will enter talks when he returns from holiday in Chile.
It is said the club remain relaxed about the situation, with Rice having three years left on his current deal with the option for more.
OPINION
Bringing Pellegrini into talks seems like a big move from the Hammers following reports of a stalemate in negotiations, but in fact it just looks like the club are keen to involve the new boss as much as possible. There seems to be no panic at all about the situation, and that would suggest that Rice will indeed put pen to paper on a new deal at the London Stadium. That will be a massive boost for the Hammers this summer as they look to strengthen, with Rice already being touted as a future captain in east London. Losing him in the coming weeks would be an unmitigated disaster, with Rice being the club’s best player over the last few months and having such vast potential. Pellegrini will realise that and will surely do all he can in these talks to get Rice to sign a new deal as soon as possible to put nerves at ease.
