Liam Rosenior heaped praise on West Ham midfielder Declan Rice and shared he could envision him joining a top-four side in the summer.
The Sky Sports pundit listed off many attributes the 20-year-old had which impressed him before suggesting he could leave in the Hammers in the summer as players such as him were rare.
“Now what’s happening with England is that we’re starting to appreciate Declan Rice,” said Rosenior on Sky Sports’ The Debate (Thursday March 28th, 23:01).
“He reads the game well from a defensive point of view, he starts attacks with quick passes, his timing on his passes, his understanding of appreciating passes is second to none and at the age that he is, for me I can see him going to a top-four club in the summer as I think those players are so rare they’re absolutely vital for the functionally of a team.”
Rosenior was then asked what Rice would end up costing a team in the summer in order to get him away from the London Stadium, and claimed he believes he’d cost a side £60million and above.
“What was Fred for Man United? Sixty? Fifty odd? It’s crazy to talk about this number still as it mind boggles but in the current market, yeah you’re looking at £60 to£65million because of his age as well, he is playing like a seasoned 31-year-old and his understanding of the game is something that is outstanding for a young footballer,” added the pundit.
OPINION
It’s no surprise that Rosenior practically drools over Rice for the player’s outstanding understanding of the game as well as highlighting his passing ability. This is because the Hammers player has been impressing throughout his current campaign and it would be more shocking if a pundit opted to not praise him. Rice has played 32 times this season, scoring two goals and assisting one, and at the age of 20-years-old then the sky is the limit for him. Yet while the Sky Sports pundit is right to be in awe of Rice’s ability and believe he is worth north of £60million, he’s wrong to suggest the player may leave in the summer. While it’s true some big sides in the Premier League will obviously be tempted to make a move for the Hammers midfield enforcer, the London club are not in a position where they have to sell him, and they should cling to Rice as a result.
