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'Declan Rice Is England's Most Important Player' Ahead Of Foden, Grealish And Mount

'Declan Rice Is England's Most Important Player' Ahead Of Foden, Grealish And Mount

Rice is England's main man, according to Kevin Nolan.

Nasir Jabbar

Nasir Jabbar

Declan Rice is England's most important player ahead of Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and Mason Mount.

That's according to Kevin Nolan who has showered the West Ham star with special praise following his terrific campaign this season.

Rice, 22, has starred for the Hammers, delivering composed performances in the middle of the park as his side fell narrowly short of a Champions League place.

Image: PA
Image: PA

But Nolan believes West Ham could have been in one of the Champions League spots had Rice not got injured - which saw him miss six games.

The former Bolton and Newcastle man also reckons he's going to be "massive" for the Three Lions in the Euros and says he's more important than Foden, Grealish and Mount.

Image: PA
Image: PA

He told The Athletic: "I get on really well with Declan - I have a brotherly love for him.

"He's a proper player and he's going to be massive for England in the Euros. I read the papers and they speak about Mason Mount, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish but Dec is going to be more important than all of those players.

"If we had Dec for the six games we missed him in, I believe that coming into this match against Southampton we could've been in the Champions League spots.

"That's how highly I rate him and that's no disrespect to anyone else in our squad. This lad just has it all: athleticism, he can pass it, good at heading, defending, he can run. He is absolutely top-notch and most of all he's the most humble lad."

Image: PA
Image: PA
Image: PA
Image: PA

Rice has been the subject of intense transfer speculation with the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea reportedly eyeing him up ahead of the summer transfer window.

Nolan hopes that the player eventually goes to the top - but with West Ham.

He added: "I hope that he goes right to the top and I hope it will be here at West Ham. He's taken us to new levels, certainly this season with his performances, and the quality we've been able to have around him.

"Hopefully he will be here for a couple more years to lead this team in the way he has this season. It says everything when he's been out for five weeks, and he only had two days off, and then he's played two games in four days.

"That's very tough with the physicality of the Premier League and for him to do that and produce the performances he has is an absolute credit to the boy.

"That shows his determination in how much he wants to improve. I still think he can get better."

Do you agree with Nolan's take on Rice? Let us know.

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Topics: Phil Foden, Mason Mount, Football News, Football, Jack Grealish, England, Declan Rice, West Ham