West Ham United have revelled in a stunning rise over the past several years, with the (second) managerial appointment of David Moyes proving to be a masterstroke in building a project of illustrious success, something that was achieved in June with a 2-1 victory over Italian side Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final.
When the Scottish gaffer took the helm in 2019, the Hammers were in disarray and in danger of losing a coveted spot in the Premier League, one point above the relegation zone before the turn of the new year and clearly a squad devoid of confidence and direction.
But if the West Ham faithful thought that his industrious managerial approach would stem the flow of malaise then they were very wrong indeed.
Yes, Moyes carefully constructed an outfit capable of not just escaping the threat of the drop zone but actually eclipsing the expectations of the fanbase and securing three successive European campaigns – the third and current adventure courtesy of that silver-laden triumph in the Conference League.
At the centre of the feats was Declan Rice, homegrown prodigy and all-conquering midfield sensation, and it really is no coincidence that his ascendency coincides with his former side's rise to prominence.
What did Declan Rice achieve at West Ham?
After completing 245 appearances for West Ham and posting 15 goals and 13 assists, Rice earned a £105m transfer to divisional rivals Arsenal in July, which is a record for a British player.
Praised as a "force of nature" by journalist Rob Blanchette, Rice provided the Hammers with the energy, confidence and technical quality to turbo-charge the midfield and serve as the unrelenting engine for all of the exploits under Moyes' wing.
As per FBref, the £240k-per-week gem also ranks within the top 20% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, passes attempted, progressive passes, progressive carries and interceptions per 90 – illustrating the level of ubiquity in his midfield craft.
While the 6-foot midfielder does now earn his wage at the Emirates Stadium with the Gunners, he will always be remembered for his starring role in the most prosperous period of West Ham's modern history.
It's hard to imagine, but this world-class midfielder could have seen his impact eclipsed across recent years, with one N'Golo Kante very nearly signing for the club eight year ago.
Did West Ham nearly sign N'Golo Kante?
In 2015, West Ham were rumoured to hold an interest in Ligue 1 side Caens' dynamic and energetic centre-midfielder Kante, with the Daily Mail reporting that the Frenchman – who had received comparisons to Chelsea legend Claude Makalele – was being considered as an alternative to Alex Song.
A transfer for Song, notably of Arsenal and Barcelona, was reportedly in danger of falling apart after the Cameroonian midfielder spent the 2014/15 campaign on loan at Upton Park, though he would ultimately agree another season-long loan deal but managed just 12 outings in an injury-hit campaign.
Kante was believed to have been available for just £5m, and West Ham must really kick themselves in the teeth to this day after Leicester City secured his signature for a bargain £5.5m that very summer.
None knew the name at that point, but they would. Kante was instrumental in the middle of the pitch as the Foxes unbelievably won the Premier League, heralded as the signing of the season and lauded for his "incredible quality" by Arsene Wenger.
How good was N'Golo Kante?
After that dream-like maiden year on English shores, Kante would earn a £30m move to Chelsea, where he would ply his trade until the recently-sailed summer, having joined Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad on a free transfer after seven years at Stamford Bridge.
Lauded for his "magic" on the pitch by former Blues midfielder Cesc Fabregas, the 32-year-old World Cup winner has been one of the finest Premier League midfielders of his generation.
Everyone wanted a slice, and while Serie A giants Inter Milan held a vested interest in the star in 2020, Chelsea slapped an £80m price tag on his name to ward off interest in 2020 – which such a fee, though probably warranted, too expensive for the Italian team.
While Rice is still early into his career, on the current evidence Kante is the superior midfielder and it's really quite something to think that West Ham feasibly could have boasted a machine of a higher calibre than the 24-year-old, who will be held in a coveted light for many, many years in east London.
Kante (via WhoScored)
Rice (via WhoScored)
86%
88%
0.6
0.7
3
2.2
2.2
1.7
0.9
1.5
0.9
0.5
1.2
0.9
12%
11%
7.11
6.97
West Ham will hardly rue the fact that Rice plied his trade for the club and not Kante given the immense success that has been achieved over recent years, but the thought of the French midfielder joining the club and cementing a starting berth in the midfield is mouth-watering to say the least.
Especially considering the incredible title triumph that Leicester clinched with the diminutive machine in the middle.
Had Kante earned a spot in the centre, he could have secured success to transcend even the heights that Moyes has reached, potentially even forging an unbreakable bond with Rice in the middle as the England international graced the senior scene for the first time in the later stage of the 2016/17 campaign.
That delightful blend of precocity with established world-class credentials would have served up a deadly concoction – one that likely would have been enough to form the nucleus of a charge to Champions League competition, or perhaps even a glinted taste of the Premier League title.
West Ham may well be basking in rich fruits at present, but just imagine the impact that Kante might've made had a punt been taken on his skills before he moved to Leicester.
