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West Ham legend Mark Noble has admitted the London club has "no chance" of keeping Declan Rice if a top Premier League side comes calling.
Rice is one of the most highly-rated young midfielders in European football after continuing to impress for both West Ham and England.
The 23-year-old has been made club captain at the London Stadium and is also a key player for England, having already played 39 times for the national side.
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Rice is under contract with West Ham until the summer of 2024, with the club holding an option to extend his stay by a further year.
But it looks increasingly likely that the midfielder will leave either in January or the summer transfer window, with several Premier League sides reportedly keen to sign him.
Chelsea have been strongly linked with Rice for several seasons, while Manchester United and Liverpool are also reported admirers as they look to bolster their midfield options.
Noble: West Ham will struggle to keep Rice
Former West Ham captain Noble, who handed the armband to Rice when he retired in the summer, admits the club will struggle to hold on to the England international.
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"Whether you think things will get dicey at West Ham – and I don't believe they will – we just can't cope financially with the top teams," Noble told The Guardian.
"We can try our hardest to recruit the best players that the top five or six don't buy – and we might get lucky with a few that slip through the net – but you can't compete with these teams.
"They're financially too powerful. If a top club wants Declan Rice they're just going to pay for him, full stop. You've seen it with Jack Grealish, with the best players. If the top boys want them, we ain't got a chance."
Moyes: Rice will cost £150m
West Ham boss David Moyes is determined to keep hold of Rice for as long as possible and has slapped a £150m price tag on the midfielder.
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Speaking back in April, Moyes said: "The first thing to say is that he is not for sale.
"If you are interested, well, it will be north of that. £100m was cheap last summer. £150m just now would be minimum but he is not for sale. What I do know is that it means there are only certain clubs that could even consider it."
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: West Ham United, Declan Rice, Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Football, Premier League, Transfers