According to ESPN, Manchester United are the only clubs interested in bringing in West Ham captain Dekran Rice this summer, but they may not be able to do so. The Hammers are confident they can renew England's big-backs and believe the Red Devils are not enough to attract 23-year-old Rice to ask for a transfer.
West Ham's contract with Rice only expires in 2024 and has a one-year priority renewal after Rice rejected two new offers from the club, but the team is confident it will eventually complete the renewal. West Ham offered Rice two major conditions: first, to arrange him as captain, and second, to promise him permission to transfer after a year as long as the price was right. Britain's "Daily Mail" said that West Ham offered a treatment of 200,000 pounds a week!
West Ham official captain Mark Noble will retire this year and Rice will be regularised as club captain. One source said: "I think Decland (Rice) will be at least another year at West Ham, or even longer. He has a lot of respect for the club and the fans and the two sides are still discussing a new contract where he will be the highest paid player in West Ham's history. The club are very happy with the progress of the contract extension and Declan is very professional. Moreover, after his Europa League match in Lyon, he kissed the team logo and ran to the fans to celebrate, reflecting his love for the club and the fans."
"One day, Decland will become Captain England, like West Ham star Bobby Moore, who lifted the World Cup while playing for West Ham. It's hard for him to speak out publicly, but you just have to see the passion and dedication he has when he's in the West Ham shirt to know where his heart is."
West Ham currently have a higher chance than Manchester United to reach next season's Champions League, they reach the Europa League Final Four and will make their first entry into the Champions League if they can win the title. However, West Ham lost 2-1 to Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of the semi-finals and were in a disadvantageous situation. But West Ham bosses David Sullivan and David Gold don't want to sell core players, causing the team to fall apart. In the past, the Hammers have produced many superstars, but they have all been taken away by the giants, including Leo Ferdinand, Lampard, Carrick, Jocor and so on.
If United are out of the way for Rice, there are also candidates such as Monaco's France international Joan Ameni on the list of new defenders. Joan Ameni was once considered a real Madrid bag, but the latest rumors say there will be twists and turns in the turn.
The Galacticos are reluctant to pay Monaco's £60m list price, and they hope to complete the deal for four or five million, which gives Premier League teams such as Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal the hope of contention.
Meanwhile, United's attempt to bring in Red Bull Salzburger youngster Karim Adeyemi also ended in failure, despite the club's high weekly salary of £15,000, but the other side still chose to defect to Dortmund.
Germany international Adejemi came from Bayern Munich's youth academy and later moved to Austria to play, and this season he has scored 21 goals for Salzburg, including four goals in the Champions League, which has attracted the attention of many teams.
United were among them, but the Red Devils' high-paying offer was turned down because they had always wanted to join Borussia Dortmund, like his predecessor Erlin Haaland. The Hornets have locked up Adejemi for £32m and will sign him for five years, replaced by Haaland, who will move this summer.