Rice to mount England challenge

If rumours are to be believed,  Declan Rice’s dream about playing alongside his friend Mason Mount will come true tonight.

The 20-year-olds became good mates at Chelsea’s Academy at the age of seven, training and playing alongside one another on a daily basis until Rice was released by the Blues at the age of 14. They have remained in touch and close, recently holidaying with each other over the summer when Mount pranked Rice by videoing him asleep on a boat in Dubai which later went viral on the Internet.

Rice told WHUFC.com “I’m delighted Mason is there too! When I got released from Chelsea, we always said ‘One day we will play together again’ and hopefully now that chance will be for England. That would be really special for me and my family.”

England plays Bulgaria this evening at Wembley Stadium in UEFA’s Euro 2020 Group A qualifier with kick-off at 5 pm.

Lineups will be announced at 4 pm and all eyes will be on whether Rice and Mount are named in the starting lineup by Gareth Southgate.