Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp has warned that top teams will begin to circle for West Ham star Declan Rice after his match-winning display v Arsenal.
Rice scored his first goal for the club with a curling finish into the top corner to give the Hammers a 1-0 win over Arsenal at the London Stadium.
Redknapp has now praised Rice for his brilliant display in the middle of the park but did warn the Irons that big teams will inevitably begin to show interest in their prize asset.
In a column for the Daily Mail, Redknapp said: “For West Ham fans, Rice’s performance was nothing new. Scoring the winner against a top-six side means his talents have been showcased more widely.
“Marko Arnautovic’s future has been discussed all week but tying Rice down to a five-and-a-half-year deal is the best business West Ham could have done.
“It was a privilege to be at the London Stadium to witness his maiden strike. Keep up these brilliant displays and the Premier League’s top sides will start circling.”
OPINION
It is no longer a secret that Rice is slowly becoming one of the Premier League’s top-performing young players, with his performances beginning to attract the attention of everyone who follows the division. West Ham fans will have been hoping to keep his talent under wraps for as long as possible, but as Redknapp says, performances like this will inevitably draw attention to the 20-year-old. Rice has obviously just signed a new deal with the Hammers but that will not stop teams like Manchester City coming in with a big bid to try and destabilise the Irons and steal Rice away. One thing which the club do have going for them is the fact that Rice absolutely loves the club and has his feet firmly on the ground. His levels of maturity are well ahead of his age, and he will be aware that developing at West Ham is the best move for his career at the moment.
