Arsenal's Declan Rice has spoken of his heartbreak after watching former club West Ham United drop out of the Premier League on the final day of the 2025/26 season — even as he celebrated a title triumph with the Gunners.

The 27-year-old midfielder, who left West Ham for Arsenal in 2023 in a club-record transfer, took to Instagram to express his feelings toward the East London club that shaped his career.

"I'm absolutely gutted to see West Ham relegated. A club that really does mean so much to me. As I said before, I wouldn't be where I am today without everything the club has done for me. With that being said, I have no doubt they will be back where they belong in the Premier League in no time. I will be supporting always."

How West Ham fell through the trap door

West Ham United were officially relegated on May 24, 2026, concluding a 14-year run in England's top flight. The Hammers finished 18th with 39 points — alongside Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers — despite recording a 3-0 victory over Leeds on the final day. Results elsewhere sealed their fate.

The club's struggles were rooted in a turbulent period that predated the current campaign. The departure of Rice in 2023 triggered a wave of transfer activity that, by most assessments, lacked coherence. Investments proved contradictory, making it difficult for successive managers to build any consistent identity or style of play.

Nuno's arrival couldn't stop the slide

Nuno Espírito Santo was brought in during September as a replacement, with West Ham already sitting in 19th place. His arrival sparked some early improvement and briefly lifted the club off the foot of the table, but the recovery was short-lived. Between November and January, West Ham collected just 4 points from a possible 30 — a run that effectively condemned them to the Championship.

A squad thin in both pace and depth struggled to adapt across the changing tactical demands of different managers throughout the season, and the accumulated damage proved impossible to repair before the final whistle.

For Rice, the pain of relegation clearly runs deep despite his success at Arsenal. His public message underlines the bond he still holds with the club where he spent his formative years — and the hope that West Ham's absence from the Premier League will be brief.