West Ham “face a fight” to keep hold of Declan Rice

His future at West Ham United is up in the air, according to reports.

After an excellent debut season in the first-team, and with his contract due to expire next summer, Declan Rice has been in talks with the club over a new deal. However, according to Jacob Steinberg, writing in The Guardian, the 19-year-old has rejected West Ham's offer of a new contract. The report claims that the Hammers offered Rice a contract worth £15,000, but he turned it down and is holding out for a better offer. Rice is said to be seeking a contract worth £30,000 a week, but West Ham are reportedly "wary of harming the youngster's progress by giving him too much at such a young age." According to The Evening Standard, they will return with another offer, and negotiations are at an early stage. While £15,000 and £30,000 are both enormous sums of money to be earning each week, Rice is arguably right to stand his ground and seek the best deal possible from the Hammers. The average Premier League weekly wage is £40,000, and Rice proved last season, for his club and in his displays for the Republic of Ireland, that he has a big future ahead of him. West Ham's co-owner David Gold called him the "future of the England team", so the club are evidently aware of his talent. Another team in the top flight would be willing to meet his demands, so his stance to hold out for a better deal is understandable. Rice made 34 appearances for the Hammers last season, earning plaudits for his performances in central defence, he has also excelled in midfield for Ireland.