Declan Rice admitted the World Cup has given him new career aspirations, breathing fresh life into rumours he could join Chelsea in the summer.
Rice wants to be playing UCL footballAdmitted “you only get one career”Quotes give Chelsea transfer boost
WHAT HAPPENED? Rice has revealed his desire to one day challenge for the Premier League title and play Champions League football. The West Ham midfielder admitted that seeing his England colleagues go on to achieve big things in the game has made him hungry for more, as he admitted “you only get one career”.
WHAT THEY SAID: When asked whether playing in Qatar has given him new aspirations in the league and in Europe, Rice said in a press conference: “Yeah, 100 per cent. For the last two or three years I have been saying that. I have been playing consistently well for [my] club and I feel like I really want to keep pushing.
“I see my friends here who are playing in the Champions League and for big trophies… you only get one career and at the end of your career you want to look back at what you have won and the biggest games you have played in. I am really ambitious.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: At 23 years of age, Rice has already made 215 appearances for the Hammers, scoring 11 goals and providing 11 assists in that time. However, his connection to Chelsea means rumours of a potential return are never far away, with the midfielder having come through the youth ranks of the West London club. Rice also remains close friends with Blues midfielder and England teammate Mason Mount.
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DID YOU KNOW? Rice has made more progressive carries than any other midfielder in the Premier League this season (126).
WHAT NEXT FOR RICE? The West Ham star will line up for England against Senegal in their last 16 fixture on Sunday, with a place in the World Cup quarter-finals up for grabs.
