West Ham offer Rice deal worth £40,000 per week
West Ham United have made an improved contract offer to Declan Rice after the 19-year-old turned down a deal which could have been worth more than £40,000 a week.
Sources have suggested that the offer will be the final one made to Rice under a round of contract negotiations which have become increasingly frustrating for the club.
They are desperate for the highly rated Rice to stay, and believe he has a big future at the club. Rice, who joined West Ham aged 14 after being released by Chelsea, is understood to want to stay.
The latest offer was submitted this week after Rice’s representatives rejected a previously improved deal. It is believed the rejected offer was for a basic of £15,000 a week, plus £20,000 for every Premier League game Rice started, plus a rise of £5,000 a week after every 15 league starts. That would mean Rice would earn £40,000 a week after 15 starts.
West Ham have now improved that offer further with, it is understood, Rice’s representatives arguing for a higher basic salary and fewer add-ons. However, contrary to claims, Rice is not out of contract at the end of this season.
The central defender, who has been man of the match playing as a holding midfielder in West Ham’s past two league games, against Everton and Chelsea, is contracted until June 30, 2020, and, even then, West Ham have an option that can be triggered to extend for another 12 months. It is believed Rice currently earns £3,000 a week.
Rice, who is currently contemplating whether to represent England or the Republic of Ireland, is set to start West Ham’s home league game against Manchester United tomorrow.