'Good chance': Arsenal player Declan Rice to leave this summer, says David Moyes

David Moyes admitted for the first time that Declan Rice could force him to leave West Ham this summer. Photo: REUTERS/Tony O& No. 39; Brian

David Moyes admitted for the first time that there is a «good chance» Arsenal target Declan Rice will leave West Ham United this summer.

Moyes said the club are planning various summer transfer scenarios and admitted they are «fully aware» of the possibility of Rice leaving the London stadium.

Rice is believed to be Arsenal's top target, but Mikel Arteta's team is expected to face competition from other members of the Premier League's so-called Big Six.

«We sincerely hope he stays ' Moyes said. “We would like him to be a West Ham player, but we understand that at the end of the season this may not be the case.

“So this is one of the planning scenarios. There are plans that we have Dec, but we also fully understand that there is a high probability that we will not have it.”

As reported by Telegraph Sport this week, West Ham will be guided by the transfer fee paid for Jude Bellingham when it comes to negotiations to sell Rice.

The club is determined to set the price as high as possible, although it remains to be seen if a bidding war will unfold in the England race.

Meanwhile, a group of AZ Alkmaar fans, including family members of manager Pascal Jansen, had to leave their seats at the London stadium for safety reasons after they clashed with West Ham fans on Thursday in the European Conference League semi-finals.

@FBAwayDays @AZAlkmaar fans on their way to @WestHam pic.twitter.com/HJ1cOBvUOk

— Joe Gleeson (@Gleesjoe) May 11, 2023

Dutch fans behind dugouts at the London stadium are believed to have drawn the ire of local supporters after celebrating AZ's first goal in their team's second match. -1 defeat.

Among the group that had to be moved were Jansen's partner and two children, as well as members of the players' families and general manager Robert Enhorn, according to Dutch media reports.

There is no suggestion that there was any physical confrontation between rival supporters as West Ham stewards acted quickly to find an alternative seat in the stadium for visiting supporters.

Enhorn told De Telegraaf that he was «concerned about the safety of our people» and added that he thought they were next to «West Ham's most dangerous supporters».

AZ head coach Pascal Jensen's family was captured by West Ham fans' furious reaction to their celebration Credit: Vincent Mignotte/DeFodi Images via Getty Images

Speaking after the match, Jansen said of his family members, “I understand they are fine. Don't make a fuss out of it. It happened. They weren't happy. They were taken care of. We continued playing.”

Quoting De Telegraaf, Jansen added: “My kids and girlfriend were in the business. I just spoke to them, but everything is fine now. There was some horror after our goal. They were shocked, but now they are safe and in good condition on the bus.”

West Ham bounced back in the second half on Thursday when Saeed Benrahma and Michael Antonio gave them a narrow lead. second leg in the Netherlands next week. The winner will play either Fiorentina or Basel in the final in Prague next month.