West Ham offered Declan Rice a 'fortune' not to make £100m Arsenal move in stunning revelation

Former West Ham manager David Moyes has opened up on the club's attempts to keep Declan Rice at the club before his marquee move to Arsenal last summer.

The England international joined the Gunners for a staggering £100 million as he finished a 10-year-long stay with the Hammers. During that time, Rice made 245 appearances for the side and lifted the Europa Conference League trophy at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.

Having become one of the Premier League's most respected defensive midfielders, West Ham couldn't avoid interest from rivals and eventually cashed in on the player. Rice became a key fixture in Mikel Arteta's Arsenal side last term as the north London club challenged Manchester City for the trophy.

Moyes, who oversaw Rice's rise to stardom at West Ham, opened up about the club's attempts to keep the player on their books before that transfer. Speaking to The Rest Is Football podcast, he said: "Behind the scenes, we had offered him a fortune to stay. We were putting it up all the time, two years before we started. He had his mind made up.

"We always knew we'd be losing Declan at the end of the year. I actually thought, if there was ever a way to conduct yourself and handle yourself right up to the last minute, Declan was signing the autographs, doing the pictures with the kids, all the things you'd hope he would do."

West Ham signed Edson Alvarez last summer from Ajax for £35 million in a bid to plug the gap left by Rice. The Mexican showed moments of promise this season but the club then also recruited Manchester City man Kalvin Phillips on loan to be deployed in that position.

Speaking about the effect of losing Rise, Moyes said: "We conceded more goals this year because Declan could have tidied up another 20% of them. That changes results, defeats into draws and different things.

"Declan was such a great lad to have. He'd cover the ground, his recovery speed and his ability. The biggest thing about Declan is he is an outstanding man and boy. And he is only a young boy yet, he's got a lot to learn."