West Ham midfielder Declan Rice says he wants to stay close to his roots in south-west London amid transfer talk
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Published 04/02/2022 at 11:11 GMT
West Ham midfielder Declan Rice says he wants to stay close to his roots in south-west London, suggesting any potential move to Manchester United may be dead in the water. The 23-year-old has been impressive for West Ham and England in the past year, but appeared to suggest that location would be a big factor in any decision to leave the Hammers.
Declan Rice enjoys being close to his roots in south-west London
Image credit: Getty Images
Declan Rice has poured cold water on a possible move north to one of the Premier League's super clubs by declaring he wants to stay close to his hometown of Kingston-upon-Thames in London.
Rice's performances in West Ham and England shirts over the last year have drawn significant attention to him, and there has been plentiful speculation over a move away from the London Stadium.
But Rice is clearly a man in tune with his life priorities.
Speaking to Gary Neville on The Overlap Extra, the 23-year-old said: "'I'm here [Kingston] all the time.
"I've always wanted to stay close to this place.
"I feel like I don't want to lose my roots."
With the town being just seven miles from Stamford Bridge, Rice grew up a fan of Chelsea and revealed he is in regular touch with a Blues legend.
"I feel like it's out there, everyone knows, it's well-documented [his Chelsea heritage, which included a spell in the club's academy as a boy]," Rice said.
"But I feel like when you play for a club like West Ham you become really affiliated to it, and there's part of me now - and my family as well - that is a massive West Ham fan.
"John Terry was my idol.
"For me growing up being a Chelsea fan, having a season ticket there, going to all the games, being in the academy.
"Just him, looking at him, everything was JT as a kid. JT [number] 26 on the back.
"Even when I was younger I said if I make it I want to be No. 26, but I feel like as I've got older now I've grown out of that - it would look a bit creepy.
"He was amazing for me when I got released as well, he picked up the phone - he didn't have to, I was only 14 at the time and I was speaking to my idol.
"We've got a good relationship."
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