Numerous talented midfielders have played for West Ham United over the years, and each of them has contributed in a different way to the team during their time there.
Mark Noble, a 37-year-old who is currently retired, is arguably the most iconic player in the club’s recent history. During his 16-year playing career, Noble made 521 appearances for the Hammers.
Noble, who will go down as one of the team’s most beloved players for his time in East London, announced his retirement at the conclusion of the 2021–2022 Premier League season. He is currently the club’s sporting director.
Following his retirement, the team has stepped up its recruitment efforts to attempt and elevate the Hammers to a higher level. Just two of the top European players currently playing at the London Stadium are Guido Rodriguez and Edson Alvarez.
But the team no longer has one player, who shone while playing for former manager David Moyes’ first squad and brought in a sizable profit when he left.
Declan Rice’s time at West Ham
Declan Rice, a midfielder for West Ham United, joined the squad as a young player after being released by Chelsea, and he went on to play in over 200 games for the first team. Rice came via the club’s academy.
He made his senior team debut in the 2016–17 season and soon established himself as a regular after that, playing a key role in the subsequent campaign.
The 25-year-old won the Europa Conference League trophy with a victory against Fiorentina in 2023, and he made over 30 appearances in every season from 2017 to 2023, winning over the fans’ hearts and even ending their long wait for a major European title.
Before leaving to sign a record-breaking £105 million transfer to Arsenal, it was almost the ideal farewell for the England international.
Although the transfer was a great financial boost for the team, it would create a big vacuum in Moyes’ midfield, necessitating the inclusion of other players to attempt and cover the skilled ace’s absence.
In an attempt to counter Rice’s departure, the Hammers made moves in the transfer market and invested in two different players, but sadly, one of them has already suffered as a result of Julen Lopetegui’s hiring this summer.
The man brought in to replace Rice
Rice’s departure was somewhat mitigated by the addition of Alvarez, who cost an estimated £35 million from Ajax, and James Ward-Prowse, who cost the club £30 million from Southampton. Both players had unique attributes.
According to a story from The Athletic, the Englishman was brought in to function as a box-to-box alternative, while the Mexican was considered a deep-lying ball-winning option—two distinct attributes that the late Rice possessed while he was at the London Stadium.
Although Alvarez is still a vital component of Lopetegui’s strategy, the Spaniard has already let go of Ward-Prowse, who will be loaned to fellow Premier League team Nottingham Forest for the 2024–2025 season.
Many were surprised by the decision, particularly given his performance under Moyes the previous season, when the 29-year-old registered seven goals and eleven assists in all competitions, his set-pieces wreaking havoc on the opposition.
During his brief stay in the East Midlands, he has already adapted to life. He played in the team’s 1-0 triumph over Liverpool the previous weekend, putting up an outstanding midfield performance.
Given his performance in the previous season and his instant influence at Forest in 2024–2025, Lopetegui might regret letting the Englishman go on loan.
He has a lot of abilities and Premier League experience, so even if it’s only temporary and he’ll be back for the 2025–2026 season, he might assist the Hammers have a great first season under the Spaniard.