West Ham transfer news: 'Extremely hard' to see Declan Rice still being with Irons next season

Transfer insider Dean Jones has revealed it is ‘extremely hard to see’ midfielder Declan Rice remaining a West Ham United player next season.

Rice has been linked with a move away from the London Stadium in recent months after some extremely impressive performances for the Hammers.

According to the Manchester Evening News, Manchester United have identified Rice as their ‘principal midfield target’ for next summer’s transfer window.

Meanwhile, links to boyhood club Chelsea, who released the 23-year-old as a teenager, have also been prominent in the past.

West Ham manager David Moyes has previously responded to the continued speculation surrounding his star player by suggesting Rice is worth ‘far more than £100m’.

However, despite the endless talk over the 27-cap England international’s immediate future, he has stayed put in east London and continued to excel.

Rice made 32 Premier League appearances last term as West Ham finished in sixth position in the top-flight standings and has already provided eight goal contributions this term as they’ve reached the knockout stages of the Europa League.

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With two-and-a-half years left to run on his current contract and the option of the Irons hierarchy extending his stay by a further 12 months, prising Rice away from the capital club will surely require a very expensive deal.

West Ham have made great strides under the tutelage of Moyes and are once again battling it out in the upper echelons of the Premier League table.

They also remain involved in Europe and the FA Cup, but Jones believes Rice may seek to take the next step in his career following the conclusion of 2021/22.

He told GiveMeSport: “It’s extremely hard