West Ham believe they have beaten off interest in their coveted star player Declan Rice and will see him lining up in claret and blue when the next season kicks off.
The Hammers are ‘assured’ the 23-year-old will become the new club captain and stay ‘for at least another year’ and reject overtures from bigger clubs.
The midfielder has not given West Ham any reason to believe he wants away and plan to unveil him as the new club skipper after Mark Noble retires in a fortnight.
A source said: ‘I believe he is staying for at least a year and maybe beyond that.