West Ham captain Declan Rice has refused to rule out staying at the club amid links to Arsenal during a jubilant post-Europa Conference League final interview.
The Hammers defeated Fiorentina 2-1 in Prague, with Jarrod Bowen scoring an 89th-minute winner.
David Moyes’ side secured their first European trophy since lifting the 1999 Intertoto Cup, and the success also qualifies them for next season’s Europa League.
It is Moyes‘ first major trophy as a manager – he won the Second Division title with Preston North End in 2000 and the Community Shield with Manchester United in 2013 – and also the first time Rice has lifted a trophy at senior level.
Prior to the game, there was mass speculation that it could be the 24-year-old’s last in a Hammers shirt, with the Daily Mail claiming that Arsenal are preparing a £90 million bid for his services.
Football Insider, meanwhile, reported that Rice has verbally agreed personal terms with the Gunners ahead of a summer move.
But in Prague, all focus was on the 24-year-old marshalling the Hammers to European glory – which he did in style.
In an interview with BT Sport, Rice was asked to react to the biggest win of his professional career – and did not rule out staying at the London Stadium when asked about his future.
Rice comments on West Ham future
He said: “At the moment, there’s a lot of speculation going on about my future.
“There is interest from other clubs, that’s out there. But ultimately, I’ve still got two years left at West Ham. I love playing for this club, there hasn’t been anything yet.
“Look, my focus is playing for West Ham, enjoying tonight and then seeing what happens. I’m captain of this club, I love it to pieces. I cannot speak highly enough of this place. Let’s just see what happens.
“Let’s wait and see. Who knows.”
Rice will now celebrate the Europa Conference League success before any decision is made on his future – and this is surely a transfer discussion that will rumble on over the coming weeks.
On the success, he said: “It means absolutely everything. The lads have been so on it, we had a real belief.
“I’m not only so happy for us and the manager, but also those fans and the staff behind us. I’m just as happy for myself as I am for them. They deserve it.
“When [Bowen] ran through on goal, I said it to myself – ‘This is your time’. As soon as you see hit the back of the net, you’re like, you don’t know what to do. I’m still in shock now! Incredible.”
He added: “I absolutely love this club. They’ve made me one of their own. I can’t even describe what I feel when I talk about West Ham fans. You see the ex-legends talk about it. Now, I’m experiencing it for myself, what it’s really like to be a West Ham player. I’m so, so happy.”
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