Rice backed to quit West Ham in £45m move to Champions League team after update - pundit
Declan Rice will exit West Ham next summer for half of his current £90million asking price.
So says ex-Premier League hitman Gabby Agbonlahor, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the 22-year-old Hammers midfielder.
The Daily Mail reported on 7 August that Rice has accepted he will stay at West Ham this season.
It is claimed that the club's £90m valuation has made his exit all but impossible.
The 24-cap England man's contract runs until 2024 and this site revealed in July that West Ham are preparing to offer him a bumper new deal.
But Agbonlahor claims that Rice will be happy to bide his time and lobby for a move against next summer.
He told Football Insider correspondent Adam Williams: "I think he is the character who wants to play for a bigger club but isn't going to push it.
"He's the captain at West Ham when Noble doesn't play. So he is going to give it all for the club for the whole season.
"When the move happens, it happens. He's 22, only a young lad. He knows his destiny is to play in the Champions League.
"He has the quality to do that but he's not like players like Harry Kane who are pushing for that move because they're older.
"He will get his chance. It's just a lot of money to pay for a midfielder at the moment, £90m.
"You see the likes of Grealish and Lukaku going for close to £100m. But I don't think teams can justify spending that kind of money on a defensive midfielder.
"It's so much when you can probably get him for half the fee next season. I think teams will be willing to wait."