David Moyes believes West Ham got a bad deal when they sold Declan Rice to Arsenal for £105million — insisting the midfielder was worth £150m.
Moyes was manager at the London Stadium during Rice’s breakthrough years and faces him on Saturday night when the league leaders come to Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.
‘I genuinely meant it at the time — I thought Declan was £150m,’ said Moyes. ‘I thought we didn’t get enough at West Ham.
‘We had offered Declan huge contracts but we couldn’t get him to stay. So the club had to do what they had to do.
‘I’m still in touch with him. I am going to abuse him [on Saturday] maybe!’
He is also still in touch with Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, who made 209 appearances for Everton between 2004 and 2012 during Moyes’ first stint as Everton manager.
David Moyes believes West Ham could have got more money from Arsenal for Declan Rice
Rice enjoyed a hugely successful breakthrough period at the London Stadium under Moyes
‘Mikel was clever in his football thinking,’ said Moyes. ‘He knew how he wanted to play.
‘He had a really good upbringing — Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, Real Sociedad, Glasgow Rangers. He had been around and seen a lot of really good clubs with good set-ups. He was a wee bit of a moaner at times as well!
‘He wanted things done right. He was a great captain and great player for us. Mikel was one of my best signings.
‘He has rung me (since becoming a manager), also to ask for favours. He has taken my players too cheaply in the past! He’s a good lad, Mikel, and he is doing amazing.’
Everton will be without several key men on Saturday night. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is out with a hamstring injury while Iliman Ndiaye and Idrissa Gueye are at the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal.
But Jack Grealish has been passed fit after a hamstring issue of his own, as has midfielder Merlin Rohl after hernia surgery. Defender Jarrad Branthwaite is a long-term absentee but the club hope he will be back in early February.
Everton could recall midfielder Harrison Armstrong, 18, from a loan at Championship high-flyers Preston to ease the burden amid a selection crisis.
Moyes has been to watch him several times for Preston who are third in the table.
