Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville has admitted that he did judge West Ham midfielder Declan Rice too quickly after watching him play early on in his career.
The former Manchester United defender was not convinced about the England international’s ability on first impressions but he claims he has now changed his mind:
“I have to say I got it completely wrong. What an outstanding young person. Authoritative, confident, humble and quite simply the most impressive young footballer I’ve interviewed in 11 years. He’s also a fantastic talent and I went too early.”
Rice is believed to be a target for United, along with Manchester City and Chelsea, but the 22-year-old is reportedly valued in excess of £100m by West Ham.
If the Hammers maintain that stance, it’s unlikely that the midfielder will be leaving the London Stadium anytime soon.
It has been claimed that Rice has turned down a number of offers to extend his contract at the London club but, with his current deal set to expire in 2024 (with an option for another year), West Ham are under no real pressure to sell. We shall see if United make a move in the summer.
