Surprise name in the frame to take Declan Rice’s place

West Ham seemingly have a lot more to worry about than potentially dropping through the relegation trap door at the end of this season, and that could be the departure of club captain, Declan Rice.

Various reports, including this one from the Daily Mail, suggest that the 24-year-old midfielder could be on his way to Arsenal.

However, with the report also detailing a previous instance of David Moyes suggesting that it would take a British record bid for the Hammers to consider parting with their star man, it isn’t a foregone conclusion that Rice will be wearing the red and white of the Gunners at the start of the 2023/24 campaign.

That said, L’Equipe have reported that West Ham are in the mix for a former Arsenal enforcer, which suggests that the east Londoners are making plans to cover the eventuality that Rice does decide on a switch elsewhere.

The French outlet say that, along with Aston Villa and Newcastle, the Hammers are interested in the services of Matteo Guendouzi.

WhoScored note a reasonable return of five goals and three assists this season from the player, as well as a decent pass success rate of 88.4 percent in Ligue Un. That compares favourably with the five goals, two assists and pass completion rate of 87.7 for Rice in the English top-flight.

More Stories / Latest News

Currently earning £42,000 per week at Marseille per Salary Sport, a report from The Mirror recalls Guendouzi’s temperamental personality and the reason why he apparently fell out with his manager, Mikel Arteta.

If the Frenchman can curb his temper and concentrate on his skill set, the Hammers could well have the perfect replacement for Rice, though it remains far from a done deal at this stage.