Glenn Hoddle: Declan Rice must play for a top team
Declan Rice must leave West Ham to play for a top side, claims Glenn Hoddle.
The ITV and BT Sport pundit has stated that he may upset West Ham fans, but Rice deserves to play for a bigger club as he will be maturing in the coming years.
Having been impressed by what he’s seen of the England international, Hoddle waxed his lyrical in a recent interview with Football London.
He said, “Rice is just a player that is going to get better and better and better.
“West Ham fans will not like what I am going to say but he has got to be playing with a top team, a really top team. Because he is going to mature in his game.
“In three or four years’ time, he’s going to be a hell of a player.”
Already at a top team
One of the main reasons why Rice is the player he is today is because he’s been given the tools to thrive at the London Stadium. The club have backed him every step of the way and have paid a lot of attention to his development.
He is a full England international and one of the first names on the team sheet for both club and country. There’s no denying that within a few years he stays at West Ham and helps take us to the next level.
In order to convince him that the project is working, next season has to be one where we prove that last season was no fluke. Finishing 6th was a huge achievement and we have to top it off, by at least finishing in the Europa League places or better.
Once Rice sees that the club and owners are behind this just as much as the fans are, he may decide to commit his future here. He knows that he’s already a fan favourite and could go down as a club legend if he stays on for another five years.
In other West Ham news, ‘Leaves a bad taste’, ‘Mockery’ – West Ham Super Fans fume over major contract update
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