David Moyes raves about West Ham midfielder Declan Rice
West Ham manager David Moyes has paid the ultimate tribute to Declan Rice by saying he is one of the best young midfielders in Europe at the moment.
The 22-year-old is enjoying a rich vein of form this season, continuing from where he left off during the Euro Championships with England.
There’s been a lot of speculation on Rice’s future, but the midfielder has suggested that it has not hampered his performance on the pitch.
West Ham play host to Rapid Vienna on Thursday in the Europa League, and ahead of the match, Moyes was full of praise for the highly-rated midfielder.
“I don’t like saying it in front of him but he’s arguably one of the best young midfield players in Europe, if not the best,” said Moyes to Sky Sports.
“If you’re in that position, every time he plays he’s got a responsibility for himself. He plays for England. Every time he turns out he has to play really well.
“There’s pressure on him enough. He gets told off enough by me as well, so he has to live with that.
“But overall we’re really happy with Declan and what he does. His performances have been excellent and I hope it continues.”
Uncertain future
Moyes is absolutely spot on with his assessment. The youngster has not only developed himself as a fantastic midfielder in the Premier League, but he has also emerged as a natural leader.
However, there’s uncertainty over Rice’s long-term future at the club, although the Hammers are pretty relaxed about it.
Rice is reportedly wanted by a host of Premier League clubs including Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City, and he has shown little interest in committing his long-term future at the club.
Rice has three years left on his deal, with the option of another year, but he has rebuffed several offers already from the club over a contract extension.
Fabrizio Romano has recently claimed that Manchester United have earmarked him as a top target next summer, but the Hammers are expected to demand a high transfer fee for him, thought to be in the region of £100 million.
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