Celebrity West Ham fan Russell Brand is hoping that midfielder Declan Rice will turn down advances from other teams this summer.
The 23-year-old has been linked with moves to the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City and, particularly, Chelsea, where he came through the club’s academy. However, Brand thinks the England international should reject a return to Stamford Bridge in order to become a Hammers legend:
“Don’t go Declan, stay. Be the Trevor Brooking of our time. Don’t go the route of everyone. Stay, become a hero Declan. We love you. I know Chelsea was your first love and it’s obvious they’re going to come calling. But we love you more. You can be everything for us. Be Devonshire, MacAvennie, Paolo Di Canio all rolled into one. Stay Declan, we love you.”
To be perfectly honest, the decision on Rice’s future may not be down to the player anyway. West Ham are not expected to accept a fee below £100m for the midfielder and you can’t see any team, even Chelsea, matching that asking price.
Rice has not hidden the fact that he is a Chelsea supporter, along with the rest of his family, but it will be hoped the faith that West Ham have shown in him, by helping him make his first-team breakthrough, will mean something when it comes down to whether he leaves.
