Finance Expert reacts to ‘very good’ West Ham deal as nine-figure move signed off

We’re delighted to welcome football finance expert Dr Daniel Plumley as our exclusive West Ham United columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at the London Stadium...

Dan Plumley has insisted that West Ham United have earned themselves a “very good” deal after the exact terms of Declan Rice’s exit to Arsenal were shared.

Sky Sports journalist Kaveh Solhekol has reported that the Gunners will pay £100million over only two years, with £5million potentially in add-ons through the Champions League.

The finance expert admitted that in the modern-day market, instalments are usually over a longer period, with West Ham standing firm to get themselves the best deal possible.

“I think that’s a very good deal in light of the current market and how transfer fees tend to play out,” he exclusively told West Ham Zone.

“We know that they’re usually in much longer instalments nowadays, it’s not usually up front and they tend to be stretched over a longer time period.

“In that world, to get this deal over two years and the instalments paid there with the Champions League bonus, that’s a really good deal for West Ham.

“They were kind of resigned to the fact that they were going to lose him, and if you are going to lose someone like that then, you’re going to negotiate hard to get the best deal for the club, and I think that, on paper, if that’s the way it has been signed, is a very good deal for West Ham.”

As much of a good deal, as it is, it will only be judged on what the money brings.

Right now, the Hammers are not finding it very easy to replace Rice, with clubs knowing just how much money they have coming into their accounts making it difficult, to say the least