West Ham United captain Declan Rice has been heavily linked with a summer transfer to Arsenal in recent times but gave a surprise reply when asked what club he wishes to play for next season
Declan Rice has claimed he wants to stay with West Ham United amid reports linking him to the likes of Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Manchester United.
The England international is the Gunners' priority target for the summer transfer window, football.london understands as Mikel Arteta looks to bolster his midfield options ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. Following the Hammers' UEFA Europa Conference League triumph last week, chairman David Sullivan admitted that Rice had likely played his last game in a claret and blue shirt.
When asked if the win against Fiorentina was Rice's final game for the club, Sullivan told TalkSPORT: "I think it has to be. We promised him he could go.
"He set his heart on going. You can't ask for a man who has committed more to us this season. In due course, he has to get on and we have to get a replacement - or several replacements.
"It's not something we want to happen. We offered him £200,000-a-week 18 months ago. He turned it down. It's cost him £10million to stay at West Ham in that time (in lost wages).
"And he wants to go. You can't keep a player who doesn't want to be there."
But a viral video has since done the rounds of Rice downplaying talk of a summer exit. When asked by a young supporter where he would like to go, the 24-year-old replied: "Nowhere, I'm West Ham."
"I don't, West Ham is my one," he replied when quizzed again. The video was posted by TikTok user Virajplays4, who claims that the clip was filmed on Saturday.