Declan Rice insists that his only focus – after an extraordinary season – is playing for West Ham United!
The 20-year-old midfielder’s 2018-19 campaign doesn’t need detailing again but was a quite amazing campaign for the finest product the club has produced in many years.
Rice, who in December signed a new deal with the Hammers running to 2024 with the option of a further year, has been linked with Manchester City and Manchester United.
When asked about interest from other clubs and how he was dealing with that, Rice said: “Everything’s good.
“I know there’s speculation but during the season I signed a new five-year contract with West Ham, so my focus is fully on playing for West Ham.
“I have a great connection with the fans. The fans love me, I love them, and that’s the way it is at the moment. I’m not thinking about anything else.”
Rice subsequently went on to speak of aspirations of playing in the Champions League.
Asked if the way 22-year-old Dutch midfielder Frenkie De Jong, who is moving from Ajax to Barcelona this summer, has performed on big stages was the sort of thing he wanted to do, Rice said: “Definitely.
“I think when you start out in football for sure you always want to play at the top.
ClaretandHugh says: It’s one of the sad facts of life that when we produce a quality footballer we tend to spend too much time wondering and worrying about when he is going to be snapped up by a bigger club. So it’s good to hear Declan making it crystal clear that he has nothing on his mind but the Hammers. Obviously there is going to be interest eventually from bigger clubs but there is little doubt that having grown up in the academy and become one of the most important players in the squad at such an early age Declan is in no hurry to go anywhere. That he was ready to sign sch a long term deal is an indication of that. We should simply enjoy this young man and look forward to what promises to be his involvement in England’s hopes of landing a major trophy for the first time in over 50 years.
