Four Players Who Could Replace Declan Rice At West Ham United

With each passing transfer window, Declan Rice’s West Ham United departure seems to draw ever closer, with teams such as Arsenal and Manchester United circling. Sooner or later, it appears that the Hammers will need to find a replacement for the England international.

Should Rice leave the club, it will be an almighty blow to the Irons. However, they need not fear – there are plenty of players out there who could do Rice’s job in his absence.

While none of the players on this list can necessarily match the limitless qualities that Rice possesses, all of them are brilliant defensive midfielders with similar skill sets.

Tyler Adams

When Kalvin Phillips left Leeds United (don’t worry, we’ll get to him) to join Manchester City, he left a gaping hole at the heart of the Whites’ midfield. Tyler Adams was the man brought in to fill the gaps – so far, he’s done an admirable job.

Despite this, Leeds are having a tough season in the Premier League, with relegation looking like a real possibility. If they do get relegated, the Hammers could swoop in and snap up the Yorkshire club’s star boy.

Adams is a complete defensive midfielder. Not only does he possess a commendable defensive acumen, he also has an impressive range of passing – just like Rice.

Jefferson Lerma

Here’s someone who West Ham fans may not have considered – Bournemouth are struggling in the Premier League, but Jefferson Lerma has been a consistently strong performer from the heart of midfield.

The Columbian has been almost ever-present for the Cherries this season, appearing in 26 Premier League games and scoring three goals in total.

His contract is up at the end of the campaign. Should Bournemouth get relegated, which is a likely outcome at this stage of the season, the Hammers could snap him up on a free transfer – if they are shrewd enough.

Mohamed Elneny

Some Hammers fans may roll their eyes at this suggestion. While it’s true that Mohamed Elneny is nowhere near the player that Declan Rice is, he would be the ideal cheap option – he has just a year and a half left on his contract and is not getting many games at the Emirates Stadium.

As such, the Gunners likely would not command a huge fee for his services – he’s also 30 years old and hasn’t played in the Premier League since December.

Elneny is not the most inspiring name on this list – far from it. Nevertheless, he’s an underrated performer and is also a consummate professional – if the Hammers need to find a replacement on the cheap, the Egyptian would be our pick.

Kalvin Phillips

Kalvin Phillips’ fall from grace over the last few months has been genuinely saddening. Once a key member of the England setup, his move to Manchester City has slowed his career.

However, he hasn’t regressed in terms of his overall quality – but there is no way he can nail down a consistent spot in the starting eleven over Rodri.

Even if the Hammers do not have the finances available to sign Phillips on a permanent basis, City could be open to a loan deal for the player. He has made just five Premier League appearances all season – the Citizens would probably be better off without him.