Declan Rice has admitted that his future will be decided by those in the board room amid strong summer transfer interest from Arsenal. The West Ham captain guided his team to Europa Conference League glory on Wednesday evening in what could be his final game for the club with the Hammers making their stance on selling the 24-year-old abundantly clear.
football.london have reported since February that Rice is the Gunners' main target for the upcoming summer window and that fact still remains with just under a week left until the trading period begins. No official proposals or bids have been sent from north London out of respect for West Ham's final game of the season coming over 10 days after the conclusion of the Premier League.
That final clash of the 2022/23 campaign came on Wednesday evening where a late Jarrod Bowen goal handed West Ham their first European trophy in 58 years. With that fixture now in the rear-view mirror, attention turns to Rice's future and the midfielder has since delivered his stance on the next few months when speaking to the Mirror in Prague after the final.
"The last two or three years has been non-stop about me. To read it myself it is actually getting quite boring," he joked. "So look, who knows what is actually going to happen. It's flattering to be wanted by a lot of clubs, but like I said the badge on my chest is West Ham and I've still got two years left on my contract.
"Ultimately, it's up to the people above, but until the day I walk out of this club, I'll give it absolutely everything and I will always wear my heart on my sleeve for this badge."
Speaking on talkSPORT, he said: "I think it has to be [Rice's final game for West Ham]. We promised him he could go. He set his heart on going.
READ MORE: Arsenal news and transfers LIVE: Declan Rice goodbye, Lionel Messi move, Caicedo deal
"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."
READ NEXT:
Arsenal and Chelsea given Moises Caicedo twist amid Man Utd interest and Declan Rice transfer
Arsenal and Man United given huge Declan Rice transfer update as West Ham decision confirmed
