Rice a revelation for Arsenal just as Hammers fans predicted
Rice has been a revelation for Arsenal this season and is on set to comfortably earn their player of the year.People were questioning his £105m price tag.
Someone person who questioned that price tag was West Ham boss David Moyes.
The experienced Scot frequently publicly stated Rice was worth ‘at least £150m’. He was deservedly sneered at by the press and many Arsenal supporters.
Moyes remarked ‘I told you so’ recently when underlining that he felt West Ham could and could have obtained more for their former talisman.
West Ham’s majority owner David Sullivan — who is ultimately in charge of all club operations – apparently didn’t heed Moyes’ warning either by selling him for £105m. Even if it was a record British contract at the time.
Two weeks later that was broken by Moises Caicedo’s £115m move from Brighton to Chelsea.
Arsenal’s new Rice chant will haunt Sullivan
Sullivan was in a tough situation since Rice wanted to leave, had been assured he could move for the appropriate price and there was no evidence Arsenal – or rival suitors Man City – could have got to anything like £150m or more.
Rice is helping make all the difference to his new club’s title charge this season.
And Arsenal’s new chant for Rice will haunt West Ham chief Sullivan following that warning from Moyes.
Gunners supporters have in the past week begun a new ditty for Rice which makes it obvious they think they got him on the cheap from the Hammers. Half price in fact.
It goes: “We got him half price, we got him half price, Declan Rice, we got him half price.”
Was Rice really half price?
A coin for the thinking of Moyes and Sullivan on hearing that.
Could West Ham have held their nerve and pressed for more? Who knows.
Many did thought at the time Rice was worth at least £125m.
And there did seem to be a lot of money swishing around some clubs last summer.
Historically the Hammers have been bad at getting value in player sales.
This does not exactly fit into that category given the sum the Hammers did earn. But it will definitely niggle in the minds of the manager and owners now it’s being rubbed in their face.
One significant question it also raises is that if Rice is worth £200m – then how much for Rodri?
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Jonathan Jonathan