Young Hammers midfielder Declan Rice is currently mulling over whether to play for England or the Republic of Ireland.
West Ham youngster Declan Rice certainly has a lot to think about with regards to his footballing future.
The 19-year-old has impressed in defensive midfield this season for Manuel Pellegrini’s side but his contract is up in 2020 and no new deal has been agreed as of yet.
According to The Guardian, the Hammers are happy to wait until the end of the season before getting negotiations back underway.
Rice also has plenty to mull over regarding what to do at international level, given he is currently torn between two different nations.
The teenager has been capped three times at senior level for the Republic of Ireland, but not in a competitive match, leaving him eligible to switch to England.
New Ireland coach Mick McCarthy played down the furore surrounding Rice’s international future in an interview with Sky News, and will look to speak with him at some point this month.
Now, Three Lions counterpart Gareth Southgate has now given his opinion on the matter, and much like McCarthy, he has acknowledged that Rice has to make a difficult decision and opted to give him some breathing room.
“He is a very good player,” Southgate told Irish outlet Extratime at the Convention Centre in Dublin after Sunday’s Euro 2020 draw.
“At the moment I have certainly allowed him time to make a decision and that is an important and difficult decision for him. It is only right that he has the time and space to do that.”
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