According to formal WHU employee, Declan Rice’s father had no impact on his choice to concentrate on joining Arsenal from West Ham

rather than Manchester City.

 

After a drawn-out transfer controversy, the Hammers captain is reportedly close to a rumoured £105 million move across London to

join the Gunners (the Guardian, 4 July).

Manchester City, the reigning Premier League winner, was also interested in signing the England midfielder but decided against it

because they did not want to engage into a bidding battle.

According to reports, Rice’s decision was influenced by his close family connections in London, but ExWHUemployee claimed the 24-

year-old was more persuaded by what Arsenal offered.

Adding, “Update 1: We can confirm that Sean Rice (Declan’s dad) had no input into where the player wanted to go,” he said.

Both he and Declan respect and appreciate Manchester City and Pep, but Declan was simply more enamored with what Arsenal had to

offer.

Time will reveal.

Declan Rice’s departure from West Ham this summer was the only thing about which there was any certainty.

And even the most passionate Hammers fans must undoubtedly understand the logic behind that. He departs with a significant

European trophy and a substantial financial gain for his old team.

In terms of the actual move he has chosen, only time will tell if he has made the right decision. Arsenal fell away in the title picture last

season but there is no doubt there is a real sense of excitement and optimism at what Mikel Arteta is building at the Emirates

Stadium.

Rice is going to be a real focal point of Arteta’s project and looks a shoo-in as a future captain at Arsenal.

A move to Manchester City, who won a Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League treble last season, probably represented

more of a guarantee of major honours but the prominent role he will play at Arsenal appears to be what won the day.

 

Gary Neville explodes at Karren Brady after West Ham

United vice-chairman speaks out

Gary Neville has exploded at West Ham United vice-chairman Karren Brady for her comments on the suggested

new independent regulator for football.

The boardroom regular shared her thoughts in her column for The Sun, insisting that it was a Labour Party idea, despite the Fan Led

Review being suggested much more recently than that.

Neville was outraged and labelled her article as “hideous” and simply lies as the pledge was led by a Conservative MP, something he

made very clear.

Writing on his personal Twitter account on Saturday morning, Neville flew off the hinges after reading what the boardroom member

had to say.

“If you want to read the most hideous of articles then please read the below from Karen Brady,” he wrote.

“She suggests a new independent regulator is a ‘Labour Party idea’ – The Fan Led Review was a Conservative Manifesto pledge and

led by a Conservative MP.