Declan Rice has starred since making his West Ham debut at the end of last season.
David Moyes has claimed in his London Evening Standard column that West Ham United teenager Declan Rice will be offered a new contract when the club finally secure their Premier League status for next season.
The 19-year-old has starred in claret and blue this season, even picking up the Young Hammer of the Year award for a second consecutive season.
The one-time Ireland international has made 23 Premier League appearances this season, completing 90 minutes in the Hammers’ last four games that have included a 3-0 win over Southampton and a 1-1 draw against Chelsea.
Moyes said that Rice will be offered a new deal in the next “couple of weeks”, with the Scottish manager deciding that Rice’s contract plans will be shelved until the club is mathematically safe from relegation.
“It is easy to forget Declan made his Premier League debut in the final game of last season,” Moyes said. “He’s progressed a lot in a short amount of time. At times, we may need him to be a defensive midfielder, but because of injuries we have needed him at the back and he’s played really well in many of the games.
“Declan’s due a renewal of his contract, but like everything else, it’s on hold until we are mathematically safe from relegation. For the sake of a couple of weeks, it’s not going to make much difference.”
The Daily Mirror claimed back in January that Rice is currently pocketing £10,000 a week at West Ham, but he is likely to be handed a new and improved contract.
The former Chelsea trainee is expected to start a fifth consecutive Premier League match against Manchester City on Sunday, in what is likely to be the same back three of Aaron Cresswell, Angelo Ogbonna and Rice.
Moyes will be forced into making one change – Adrian will start in goal over Joe Hart with the latter ineligible from facing his parent club as he remains on loan from the Premier League champions at West Ham.
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