Manuel Pellegrini has told The Athletic how he fought West Ham United to keep Declan Rice at the club rather than loan out the England international during his time in charge.
Slaven Bilic awarded Rice his Premier League debut in May 2017 before the Irons product featured prominently under David Moyes the following year. But most of his minutes that season came at centre-back, while occasionally plugging the odd gap in the engine room.
However, Pellegrini saw Rice more as a central midfielder than defender and fought West Ham to block a loan transfer. The Chilean felt they did not see the same potential but was confident he would prove to be a success.
Pellegrini also notes how Rice’s situation was different to Mark Noble, who he now shares the captain’s armband with.
“Noble had played so many years in a successful way at West Ham,” Pellegrini said. “He is a man of the club; he started as a young player and has influence on the young players. He’s a good person for players to follow. Declan Rice is different. He’s a top player who started as a centre-back. We spoke about him becoming a central midfielder. He worked very hard.
“Maybe the club didn’t believe in him too much and wanted to send him on loan and I said, ‘No, he will be a very good player’. In my first season with him, he made a jump to the top level.
“He improved in the second season and arrived in the national squad. West Ham is a big club, but he will end up at a club which is winning titles and he’s absolutely prepared for that.”
Rice has proven Pellegrini right at West Ham
Rice has certainly proven Pellegrini right, even if the Chilean is no longer at West Ham to reap the rewards of his decision. The 22-year-old is one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League and a regular on the England teamsheet.
Gareth Southgate has named Rice in each of his squads since the midfielder made his Three Lions debut in 2019. He has also played a key role at Euro 2020 as one of the first names in the XI. And he started all 32 of his Premier League appearances for West Ham last term.
Only a lateral knee ligament injury sustained on international duty in March ended his run of 68 consecutive league outings. All as a midfielder thanks to the work Pellegrini put in to develop Rice at West Ham, not on loan.
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