West Ham United have managed to crawl out of the relegation zone in the Premier League table after an impressive draw vs Chelsea.
Pellegrini’s side became the first club to take points off the Blues this season and one of the star players was the Hammers was midfielder Declan Rice.
Rice who is an academy product at West Ham broke into the scene last season and the youngster is being tipped as the next big talent coming out of the famed Hammers academy.
But it seems that Declan Rice has a number of things on his plate – particularly off the field.
The midfielder has played three games for the Republic of Ireland but given that all those games were friendlies, he is still eligible to play for England.
And if reports are to believed then Declan Rice is planning to do just that.
Rice was left out of the recent Ireland squad in August amidst reports that the player did not have the head in the right place and now Shay Given has come out to slam the Three Lions for getting into the head of the youngster.
“He’s a big talent and we would love him to keep playing for Ireland,” Shay Given told talkSPORT.
“He’s played three games for Ireland but I think Gareth Southgate or someone from England has got into his head.
Declan Rice leaning towards declaring for England – reports https://t.co/UUPe23GVUs pic.twitter.com/5R60yiJhQz
— Independent Sport (@IndoSport) September 25, 2018
“I think once you pull on the senior jersey for your country that should be it – you’re colours nailed to the mast and you should play. But the rules are not tied down to that.”
So, which country will Declan Rice play for?
The answer to that question lies only with Declan Rice.
But if the acquisitions of Shay Given is right then also Gareth Southgate and co have done nothing wrong by trying to convince the youngster to play for England.
Which country will Declan Rice play for is one of the most asked questions in the English football circuit currently but if the West Ham boy does choose the Three Lions then it will surely be a double-edged sword.
While Rice will undoubtedly get a lot of exposure but getting a regular place in the England line-up will be no cake walk.
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