Former England striker and broadcast pundit Gary Lineker has delivered his instant verdict on the statement over the future of West Ham’s Declan Rice.
The young midfielder confirmed via his personal Twitter account that he had chosen to try and forge a future with England on the international stage, having already represented the Republic of Ireland three times in friendlies, bringing an end to the tug-of-war between the two nations.
Taking to his own Twitter account, Lineker cheekily invoked the popular football chant “he’s one of our own”, seeming positive that he had picked the Three Lions.
He’s one of our own….He’s one of our own…Declan Rice….he’s one of our own.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) February 13, 2019
Opinion
Lineker will not be the only delighted England fan to see Rice commit his future to their side after watching him establish himself as one of the best young talents to grace the Premier League this season. His performances in the middle of the park have been one of the few shining lights for the Hammers faithful to celebrate and you can be sure the London Stadium supporters will be happy to see him pick England, considering their proud tradition of producing talent for the Three Lions over the years. After all, it was the Hammers who ‘won’ the 1966 World Cup – at least, that is what they claim. Either way, Rice making a decision on his future means that the sideshow can finally be put to rest and he can focus on earning a place in Gareth Southgate’s squad. If he continues to perform the way he has thus far, that should not be too difficult and he could be a mainstay for the next decade if he develops and grows the way he has already.