Players do turn down contracts and it’s not unusual, admits David Moyes

Despite starting out as a center-back, over the last few years Declan Rice has transformed himself into arguably one of the best defensive midfielders in the English league. Not only that, at 23, the midfielder is now West Ham’s captain on the field and will continue to wear the armband once Mark Noble retires as well. That is an incredible turnaround for the former Colban youth academy product but it has seen Rice heavily linked with a move away.

The likes of Chelsea and Manchester United are keeping a close key and that is especially so after reports indicated that he rejected a new £200,000-a-week contract from the Hammers. However, despite the rejection, David Moyes is not worried and admitted that players do “turn down contracts”. The West Ham boss believes that this is a negotiation tactic from Rice and his agents, and that there is no reason to panic.

“I’ve said it [where I stand] and I think we have said what we think. We like Dec and he’s got three-and-a-half years to go on his contract so I don’t think there is any big panic. Maybe he just wants more money. People do turn down contracts. It is not unusual for players at clubs to turn down contracts, maybe it is a negotiation tactic,” Moyes said, reported Goal.