Tottenham made favourites to sign rival West Ham player

According to reports from HITC, Tottenham have been made bookies favourites to sign West Ham youngster Declan Rice.

The future of the defensive player is currently uncertain, with The Sun reporting that contract talks have stalled.

Rice has less that 2 years left on his current deal.

The deal is said to be worth around £3,000 a week, which Tottenham could more than match.

Rice broke through into the Hammers first team last season, and played as both a centre-back and centre-mid.

Tottenham could do with some extra cover in the centre of defence, with Juan Foyth the only real non-first team centre-back at the club.

Ladbrokes currently have Tottenham at 2/1 favourites to sign Rice, with Liverpool (3/1), United (4/1), Arsenal (9/2), City (6/1) and Chelsea (7/1) all priced behind the North London club.

Could a deal be done in January, or is the rivalry too fierce?

And could Declan Rice turn out to be a future England star?

Danny Murphy certainly thinks so, as he told TalkSPORT: 

“Declan Rice has all the attributes to play for England, no doubt about that, and he’ll have a long career in the Premier League.

“He’s at a good club where he’s playing every week, but I’m amazed West Ham haven’t got him a new contract sorted.

“He’s only got next year left and he’s still on a young man’s contract, playing in the Premier League and dealing with the likes of Eden Hazard.

“Why haven’t they sorted it? This lad hasn’t just come into the first team, he’s been around since last season.

“This is typical of lots of clubs who forget to reward young lads when they’re doing really well – and I don’t mean stupid money, I don’t agree with young lads who aren’t in the first team earning £20,000-a-week.

“But he is on a very low contract, playing at the top level, dealing with some top players and looking very, very accomplished.

“All of a sudden he’s only got next season on his contract and what, West Ham think the big clubs aren’t watching him now?

“Daniel Levy has got critics, but Tottenham’s young players generally get looked after and each time they do well they get rewarded.

“I’m amazed at West Ham, it’s ridiculous for a lad of this talent. It shouldn’t have got to this. You can’t let this happen.

“They’ve got a problem now after his last couple of performances. They’ve got a super young player who they haven’t looked after and dealt with.

“Hopefully they deal with it soon. He’s probably very happy there and wants to stay, but they have to act quickly because his performances now are taking him to a different level.”

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