Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe does not believe Rice’s exit weakened West Ham
Eddie Howe has warned his players not to be drawn in by talk that West Ham are weaker without Declan Rice.
The England star left the Hammers in the summer to join Arsenal in a £105million deal but the likes of James Ward-Prowse came in from Southampton and Edson Alvarez arrived from Ajax to strengthen the London club’s midfield. Howe is acutely aware of the threats posed by David Moyes’ team.
Eddie Howe said: “They lost Declan Rice who was so important for them. He was the heartbeat of the team and gave them real stability in the middle of the pitch but I think they’ve replaced him really well.
“It’s always a challenge when you get a big fee for a player and what you do with that money but they’ve been very smart. “The players that have come in have settled immediately and they’ve done really well this season.
