COLE: RICE A LEGEND EVEN IF HE LEAVES
JOE COLE believes Declan Rice has immortalised himself as a West Ham legend even if he leaves the club this summer.
Rice is expected to depart the London Stadium with only a year left to run on his contract after snubbing offers to make him the club’s highest-paid player.
Arsenal and Bayern Munich are monitoring his situation with West Ham ready to demand £100million for their prized asset.
It means the UEFA Conference
League final against Fiorentina tonight could be the last time Rice pulls on a West Ham shirt after 244 appearances.
And former Hammers favourite Cole says the England man (in training, above) has secured legendary status with the London club.
“He will be a West Ham icon,” Cole said. “He’s come through the system and it’s important for the club that the players are made there, bred there and brought up through their culture.”
Cole (above) pointed to how he joined Frank Lampard, Rio Ferdinand and Michael Carrick in moving on to bigger things after starting out at the Hammers, and pleaded with the fans to understand Rice’s desire to follow in their footsteps.
“Our ambitions outgrew the club. We didn’t outgrow the club but you have a finite time as a professional footballer and to win trophies,” he said.
“You want to play in the Champions League and you want to use the best opportunities to pull on that England shirt. West Ham weren’t in a position where they could hold on to us.
“Now I believe that, with the right management and philosophy, West
Ham won’t even need to have a conversation about a top player leaving. But there has to be lots of steps that go on between now and then to keep Rice.”
On 24-year-old Rice’s relationship with the fans in east London, Cole added: “Declan will always be loved by the West Ham fans, wherever he goes. If he stays, he’ll go on to become an all-time great.”
BT Sport is the exclusive home of the Europa Conference League Final, live on BT Sport 1 tonight from 6:30pm, and on the BT Sport website, Youtube channel and app