Ray Parlour: Declan Rice’s importance to West Ham United makes him best player outside of top six
Former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour hailed Declan Rice’s importance at West Ham, naming him the best player out of the top six.
Rice has been a pivotal figure for West Ham since graduating from the club’s academy. Still only 23 years old, Rice has inherited captaincy at the London Stadium and is one of the club’s star players.
Parlour went one step further and labelled Rice the best player outside of the Premier League’s ‘Big Six’ clubs.
Speaking via talkSPORT (19 October), Parlour said: “For the importance of what he does for the team and how he steps up – he’s been very, very good for England as well – Declan Rice.”
Parlour did concede that “he could see other arguments elsewhere”, but the 49-year-old stuck with Rice.
One of the best
Not only is Rice arguably the best player outside the top six, but the West Ham captain is also one of the best in the Premier League. Period.
His leadership abilities and experience at such a young age make him a huge asset to any team in the world, and his all-rounded ability makes him hard to critique.
Whether he’s on the ball driving forward, spraying passes or defending under pressure, Rice has proved time and time again that he’s more than capable of rising to the occasion.
As mentioned by Parlour, Rice is also a mainstay in Gareth Southgate’s England squad and will be one of the first names on the Three Lions teamsheet in Qatar this winter.
You’d be hard-stretched to find any team in the world that doesn’t squeeze Rice into their starting XI if he’s at their disposal – that alone makes him one of the best in the Premier League.