West Ham offer club legend Noble exciting new role to keep him on payroll

West Ham are reportedly in talks with captain Mark Noble about taking up a football executive role with the club at the end of the current campaign.

The Hammers legend is hanging up his boots this summer after spending his entire career in east London and the club are keen to keep the 34-year-old at the London Stadium in some capacity.

The Daily Mail reports that talks are underway between Noble and the club’s hierarchy, who Noble already has a close relationship with, over a leading football operations position.

Rob Newman was appointed West Ham’s head of recruitment in last year. However, the report adds there could be a role to work alongside the former Manchester City administrator for Noble.

Indeed, the Hammers want the legendary figure to have influence in shaping their future.

Speaking back in August, David Moyes hinted that Noble could take up a backroom role when he called it a day.

The Hammers chief said: “I think Mark has other ideas, maybe a role as a sporting director or a technical director rather than on the footballing side.”

Noble has made just four Premier League appearances this season, scoring once. The midfielder has found game time difficult due to the outstanding partnership between Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek in West Ham’s engine room.

Meanwhile, the looming battle to sign West Ham ace Declan Rice may now include Real Madrid, and one observer reckons the 23-year-old is now worth an eye-watering sum.

Rice, Kalvin Phillips and Youri Tielemans are unarguably three of the finest central midfielders the Premier League has to offer. None of the trio play for members of the traditional top six – a fact that has ensured transfer links are increasingly common.

Tielemans is expected to be sold in the