By Saikat Mandal

17th Nov, 2022 | 8:22am

West Ham United star Declan Rice sends message to Chelsea ace Mason Mount ahead of England v Iran

West Ham midfielder Declan Rice has sent a brilliant message to Chelsea star Mason Mount on Twitter ahead of England v Iran in the World Cup Group B game on Monday (21 November).

The duo shares a strong bonding as both the players were products of Chelsea youth academy. Rice went to West Ham in 2014 and has become arguably one of the best midfielders in the Premier League.

The Hammers skipper has been frequently linked with a move to Chelsea (and other heavyweight clubs) with Fabrizio Romano reporting on 8 November that Rice could be a big option for clubs who will miss out on Jude Bellingham next summer.

Mount tweeted on 16 December: “Day one Dec.”

Rice responded with a seven-word tweet (16 November): “What a journey we’ve been on brother.”

Future

Romano suggested on Caught Offside on 8 November that West Ham are adamant they want around £130million for their star midfielder. 

Rice has rejected two contract offers from the club already, and he harbors the desire to test himself at the top level. 

After impressing in the Euro 2020, Rice has grown into a top-quality midfielder for both club and country and he should be one of the first names in Gareth Southgate’s team sheet for the World Cup in Qatar.

His future has come under intense speculation, but it hasn’t hampered the midfielder’s performance. His consistency is an inspiration to every West Ham player, and now the Hammers fans will want him to make a huge impact in the World Cup and get global recognition. 

West Ham are protected by his current contract situation. Rice is not motivated by money, and he could be persuaded to stay put if the Hammers can break into the top four or top six this season.