Seven examples show Declan Rice should snub rivals – from Rodwell to Carroll

West Ham United captain Declan Rice is undoubtedly one of England’s most exciting young prospects.

The central-midfielder reached new heights last season when he helped the Hammers to their highest league finish in decades.

He went on to boss the midfield for England at the Euros in the summer, starring in all seven games as the Three Lions reached the final.

And with West Ham exceeding all expectations this season and currently sitting in third, the 22-year-old’s displays have caught the eye of various rival clubs, linking him with a move away to Chelsea or Manchester United.

But Rice is at the centre of something special with the club which gave him a chance as a teenager and leaving the east London club for a rival may come back to bite the midfielder.

Daily Star Sport looks at seven players who joined other Premier League clubs and found out that the grass is not always greener…

Andy Carroll

Fernando Torres’ £50million transfer to Chelsea in 2011 shocked the Premier League, but even more shocking was the fact Liverpool splashed £35million of that on one-season-wonder Andy Carroll.

Carroll had enjoyed a breakthrough season for boyhood club Newcastle where he netted 11 goals in 19 appearances before moving to the Reds in January.

But partly because of injuries and in part due to a lack of fit, Carroll failed to make an impression at Anfield, scoring only twice in the remainder of the season.

Carroll never reached double digits for goals again in his career, providing a valuable lesson in considering where one fits best as a player before seeking a transfer.

Francis Jeffers

Arsene Wenger’s infamous “Fox in the Box” failed to provide much of anything after his £10million move from Everton in 2001.

The Englishman had enamoured the Everton fans as a youngster, scoring 18 league goals in his first 49 appearances for the club.

He eventually rejected a new contract with the Toffees, deciding to join giants Arsenal where injuries and tough competition from the likes of Thierry Henry meant he failed to make an impact in north London.

Jeffers ended up scoring eight goals in his four seasons as an Arsenal player, before being loaned back to Everton and eventually sold to Charlton.

Samir Nasri

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Controversial Frenchman Samir Nasri had the world at his feet in 2011, having coming off the back of his most prolific season as a player with 10 goals in 30 league matches during 2010/11.

But with Cesc Fabregas’ departure in the summer, Nasri also pushed to jump ship, joining rivals Manchester City for £25million after one appearance for Arsenal that season.

Nasri went on to win two Premier League titles at Man City but never found the same form or adoration from fans as he had once received at the Emirates.

He became the subject of controversy and a bench-player towards the end of his six seasons in Manchester instead of a club legend at Arsenal.

Rickie Lambert

Vintage No.9 Rickie Lambert thought he had earned a “dream move” to Liverpool in 2014 after being signed for £4million from Southampton.

He signed a two-year-contract in the hope leaving a mark at the club which released him as a teenager but failed to fill the Luis Suarez-shaped hole up-front for the Reds.

Lambert was sold to West Brom a year later, having scored only three goals in 35 appearances.

It was a far cry from the player who netted double digit goals in each of his five previous seasons with the Saints which earned the adoration of the St Mary’s crowd.

Harry Kewell

Australian winger Harry Kewell was a fan favourite at Leeds United where he spent a decade and helped the club to a Champions League semi-final.

Financial struggles and issues with club staff eventually pushed him to sign for Liverpool, which he supported as a kid.

But Kewell failed to ever reach the heights he had as a Leeds player, scoring 12 goals in his injury-plagued five seasons at Anfield.

He did become the only Australian-born player to win the Champions League in 2005 with Liverpool, but was booed off in the final while 1-0 down to AC Milan with fans suspecting he had feigned injury to be subbed off.

Shaun Wright-Phillips

Highly-rated winger Shaun Wright-Phillips was superb in his early days as a Manchester City player.

He scored 31 goals for the club before a 2005 move to Chelsea changed the course of his career.

Wright-Phillips could not re-capture the same form that made him stand out at City and scored only 10 in his three seasons at Stamford Bridge.

While he continued to be selected for England, the diminutive wide-man failed to make a lasting impression with the likes of Joe Cole and Arjen Robben ahead of him in the pecking order and returned to City.

Jack Rodwell

Jack Rodwell was one of England’s most promising youngsters at Everton before a disastrous move to Man City.

The midfielder 109 appearances for Everton before signing a five-year deal with the Etihad club, having joined for a fee of £13million.

His career at Goodison Park had already begun faltering due to persistent injuries but the City move proved to be the death of his career.

Rodwell ended up making 16 league appearances across two seasons for the club before falling into obscurity and eventually joining Sunderland in 2014.

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