"That would be the end of them" - Pundit tells club to reject all offers for Chelsea and Manchester United target in January

Former Hibernian striker Tam McManus has advised West Ham United to reject all offers for Manchester United and Chelsea target Declan Rice in the ongoing transfer window. The Scotsman explained that it would be suicidal for the Hammers if they allow the defensive midfielder to leave the London Stadium this month.

It goes without saying that West Ham United aren't having the best of runs at the moment. The Hammers are winless in their last five Premier League games, losing four, and have dropped to 17th in the standings.

McManus reckons multiple clubs including Chelsea and Manchester United could look to take advantage of West Ham's lowly position in the standings to prise away Rice. He, however, warned the club to snub such advances and keep hold of their prized asset.

“It would be suicidal, they can’t sell Rice this month,” the former Hibernian striker told Football Insider‘s Ben Wild. “That would be the end of them. Rice represents so much more than the rest of the squad. He’s probably their best player, and he is the club captain.

The Scotsman went on to explain that letting go of Rice would be almost lead to West Ham's relegation. He added that multiple clubs are in need of quality midfielders and would pounce on such an opportunity, with Manchester United and Chelsea keeping tabs on the player. Macmanus said:

“Him leaving would be a sign of the club giving up. They would go down. It depends on what Rice wants to do. If he is desperate to leave, then I’m sure a move could be sorted out. But if he is happy to wait until the summer, then that’s up to him. I still think several clubs might try their luck, who needs a midfielder. Quite a lot of clubs do and with West Ham right down there, maybe it is worth throwing a bid in."

“Could you imagine if they sold him? That would absolutely be that for West Ham, it can’t happen,” he concluded.

Declan Rice's contract with the Hammers runs till the summer of 2024. The midfielder has played 23 games this term, recording one goal and two assists.

---

Who are Chelsea and Manchester United's targets for the winter?

Chelsea and Manchester United target - Declan Rice

Apart from Declan Rice, Manchester United are looking at other players in the market. According to Sky Sports, the Red Devils are working to strengthen their defensive options and have added Celtic's right-back Josip Juranovic and Napoli centre-back Kim Min-Jae to their wishlist.

They're also looking to sign a forward. The likes of Joao Felix, Marcus Thuram, Randal Kolo Muani, Dusan Vlahovic, and Olivier Giroud have appeared on their radar.

Chelsea, meanwhile, are eyeing a move for Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo. The Blues also have Shakhtar Donetsk forward Mykhailo Mudryk and Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernandez on their radar. It remains to be seen who they end up signing.