After eight years at the London Stadium, Rice made the move to Arsenal in a £105m deal leaving a huge hole in the Hammers' midfield. 

Now the quest to find a suitable replacement has begun with West Ham making a £25m bid for Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse, as reported by The Daily Mail. 

While there is yet to be a response from the Saints, a move to the capital would not be a surprise for Ward-Prowse who finds himself on a team who will be playing their football in the EFL Championship following Southampton's relegation at the end of the last season. 

Ward-Prowse is not the only English midfielder West Ham are trying to acquire however, with Chelsea's Conor Gallagher also on the club's radar. 

According to Sky Sports, West Ham have made a £40m bid which has since been rejected with Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino looking to incorporate Gallagher into his plans, therefore a higher fee will be needed if the Hammers are to tempt the 23-year-old away from Stamford Bridge.