The Hammers star and the Ajax – soon to be Barca – ace will lock horns as England face the Netherlands in the UEFA Nations League.
West Ham United and England star Declan Rice has spoken highly of Barcelona bound Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong ahead of their two countries locking horns in the UEFA Nations League next week.
The Hammers ace enjoyed a sensational breakthrough season in 2018-19, overcoming a few hiccups – his half-time substitution at the start of the season, for example – to become a first-team fixture and fan favourite at the London Stadium, not to mention penning a long-term contract worth a reported £30,000-per-week (The Sun).
Likewise, Rice has settled his international future, opting to play for England instead of the Republic of Ireland, and goes into the upcoming Nations League fixture having already won two caps for the Three Lions (Transfermarkt).
De Jong has also enjoyed a fruitful season at Ajax and as such has sealed a reported £65million – plus add-ons – move to Barcelona, with numerous Camp Nou legends including Ronald de Boer, Xavi and Ronald Koeman all singing the 22-year-old’s praises (talkSPORT).
“He really does have some touches of Johan Cruyff,” wrote De Telegraaf chief football correspondent Valentijn Driessen of De Jong. “That acceleration, that hair, that forward thinking. He is not a second Cruyff, but he really does have the essence of Cruyff. He is our big hope in dark days.”
Although Rice insists he is happy at West Ham amid reported interest from the likes of Manchester City and Manchester United, he responded affirmatively when asked if the way De Jong has performed on big stages was the kind of thing he also wanted to do.
“Definitely,” Rice told Sky Sports News. “I think when you start out in football for sure you always want to play at the top. You want to play in the Champions Leagues. I think if you were in football and didn’t want to do that, there’d be no point in playing.
“De Jong has got his move to Barcelona and it’s fully deserved – he’s a top, top player, I think you’ve seen that in the Champions League – and it will be great to come up against him in the Nations League.”
Rice’s 2018-19 campaign has seen him start 34 Premier League matches, make his England debut, and earn a place among the nominees for the PFA Young Player of the Year award.
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