All is not lost in West Ham United's bid to keep midfield star Declan Rice at the club, according to journalist Paul Brown...

What's the word?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the respected insider revealed that the 23-year-old could still be convinced to stay at the club, should the Hammers manage to run out winners in this year's Europa League.

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Amid rumours that the Englishman could leave the club this summer, following interest from the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea, Brown said of his future that:

“We don’t know yet how desperate Rice is to get out of West Ham. Moyes said this could be a negotiating tactic just because he wants more money. He has been offered more money by West Ham and it’s clear that he’s ambitious and wants to win things too. West Ham could still win things this season. That might change his thinking."

Recent reports had suggested that the 29-cap international - who David Moyes claimed could be worth as much as £150m - has turned down a contract extension to stay at the London Stadium, although with two years still remaining on his existing deal, plus the option of a further 12 months, it is not time to panic just yet, particularly after this latest news.

Supporters will be buzzing

Following all the recent speculation about his future, Brown's update will surely have West Ham supporters breathing a sigh of relief, with there seemingly still lingering hope that the club's talisman will be lining up for the east London outfit at the start of next season.

It is perhaps no surprise that the £67.5m-rated man is courting so much attention of late, such have been his outstanding performances for both club and country in recent times.

Fresh off the back of featuring in all seven games of England's surge to the Euro 2020 final last summer, Rice has kicked on again this term for Moyes' men, carrying the mantle of being his side's main man and skipper, in the absence of club captain Mark Noble.

In his 33 Premier League outings this season, the academy graduate has registered 1.7 interceptions, 2.1 tackles and 1.2 clearances per game, while also enjoying a pass success rate of 92%, showcasing he is much more than just a midfield destroyer.

That is the view shared by pundit Joe Cole, who likened his progression to that of Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard and also noted his ability "breaking from midfield with that power", with the £62k-per-week gem ranking in the top 6% among midfielders in Europe's top five leagues for progressive carries.

A constantly developing talent, the London-born star has plenty of strings to his bow, albeit with one thing that is missing at present being silverware.

As Brown mentioned, that bid to win trophies may sway him to depart, although he still has the chance to claim what would be a remarkable Europa League triumph this season, even with the Hammers currently 2-1 down at the halfway stage of their semi-final tie with Eintracht Frankfurt.

If the club can match his potential, there's no reason why can't continue to delight the home support for years to come.

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