Former Aston Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor has labeled Roy Keane a “very bitter person” after the Man Utd legend’s scathing assessment of West Ham captain Declan Rice.
Rice has been linked with a move to Arsenal and is expected to cost £70million should he move on in the summer.
Hammers boss David Moyes has previously said the England midfielder is worth £150m, despite the fact he is out of contract in 2024.
The 24-year-old has reportedly rejected three contract offers from his current club and is eager to play for a team in the Champions League.
Rice has impressed lots of people with his form for West Ham and England, however, ex-Man Utd captain Keane is not a big fan.
Keane strongly questioned the midfielder’s performances this season and believes he has to do a lot more to justify his reported price tag.
He told ITV on Wednesday: “I don’t think he has been great this season I really don’t.
“He has not really kicked on for all the talk about him…I think he needs to do a lot more – doesn’t score a lot of goals, doesn’t get enough assists.
“There’s talk of him leaving for big money and going for one of the bigger clubs, competing for trophies and playing in the Champions League, he needs to do a lot more it is as simple as that.”
Agbonlahor – who played under Keane during his time as Villa assistant boss – has previously voiced his dislike of the Irishman and was not impressed with what he said about Rice.
Keane said in March 2022 that he came across numerous “scumbags” and “imposters” during his time at Villa Park.
Agbonlahor had said prior to that Keane was “disrespectful” and has also claimed the former midfielder is a “big bully” for his treatment of Harry Maguire.
And now the former Villa striker has said Keane “is a bitter guy” after his criticism of Rice.
“The reason why I think he is, is because I’ve watched him for England when maybe he’s got more of a freer role to go a bit more forward,” Agbonlahor told talkSPORT.
“But you watch him at West Ham, he’s got to sit there, you’ve got [Tomas] Soucek who wants to get in the box and get on the end of crosses.
“He hasn’t got the license to run forward, when he’s at it Declan Rice, he can run with the ball.
“He’s got that long stride, he can score goals – [he’s a] great striker of the ball.
“I think sometimes some of these pundits like Roy Keane – who is a bitter guy, I had him [as assistant manager] at Aston Villa, he is a very bitter person – has got something maybe against him.
“But he’s what West Ham value him at.”
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