Jose Fonte has lauded West Ham midfielder Declan Rice as an ‘incredible’ player, as he told talkSPORT (05/10/21 at 10:50 am).
The Lille title-winner admitted that he ‘never seen’ Rice play in the middle of the park during his time at West Ham, and his success in that position is ‘surprising’.
When Rice was being pushed into West Ham’s first-team picture as a teenager, he was someone who was seen as a centre-back.
He did play in the middle of the park during the early stages, but it was deemed that he would eventually drop back.
But that day never came because he thrived in midfield, not just for the Hammers, but also for his country.
This is what Fonte had to say about Rice and his rise to the top.
“Incredible potential,” said Fonte. “Everybody acknowledged that he had the potential to go all the way. He was just trying to break into the squad.
“He used to be a centre-back. He trained for us and he would be a centre-back. I never seen him and didn’t expect him to be a midfielder.
“When he started to play consistently in the midfield, and doing so well, he was kind of surprising.
“At centre-back, he was great. I already said that, as a centre-back he has a future already. But fantastic for him, so pleased for Declan, he’s such a great professional, hard-working player and he deserved all the credit that he is getting.”
Whilst Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard have domestic records that Rice has a long, long way to match.
One thing is for sure, the above duo, don’t touch him or Kalvin Phillips when it comes to international football.
Both Rice and Phillips helped England to the final of a major tournament for the first time in 1966, that’s something the Premier League legends never managed.
And if they can produce those types of performances in the coming years at major tournaments, then there is no reason why they can’t win a trophy with their country one day.
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