OPINION
West Ham have found an absolute gem in Declan Rice. The 20-year-old has quietly and unashamedly established himself as one of the finest defensive midfielders in the Premier League during Manuel Pellegrini’s tenure, and his performances have justly seen him earn a place in Gareth Southgate’s England squad. So far this term he has already averaged 3.5 tackles, 2.3 interceptions, and a pass completion rate of 83.6% per match, as per Whoscored. It is no surprise, therefore, that Rice attracted a fair amount of attention over the summer, as reported by the Independent. One club linked with the midfielder was Manchester United, and Rice’s latest comments on the Reds have upset a fair fans. In an interview with FourFourTwo, as quoted by the Metro, he said: “Don’t get me wrong, I think I’ve got the ability to play for a club like that.” That was enough to get some fans all riled up, with many annoyed that Rice would even consider playing for another club. Crucially, however, Rice went on to add: “But it’s all about the timing and I don’t think the timing is right for me at all. I’ve still got so much to learn. I’m loving it at West Ham, the connection between me and the supporters is special. I’ve become one of the fans’ favourites and the manager likes me. It’s the best place for me to play my football.” On the basis of that, West Ham fans shouldn’t be fearing the worst, they should be rejoicing.
Forever West Ham have gathered some of the best tweets below:
