Declan Rice news: West Ham midfielder says he doesn't want a career 'where I've not won anything'
Declan Rice shakes the hand of West Ham manager David Moyes
The West Ham captain has been linked with a move away in the summer, and is keen to end his career with a full trophy cabinet.
Rice has enjoyed a meteoric rise since being released by Chelsea aged 14, and now finds himself as the captain of West Ham.
The Hammers are enjoying a superb season and currently sit fourth in the Premier League table, but with their success comes interest from other clubs, and Rice is reportedly on the shopping list of both Chelsea and Manchester United.
The 23-year-old has a contract in east London until 2024, with the club then having an option to extend it for a further year.
West Ham boss David Moyes has frequently addressed the rumours of a move, but has stated that the club's valuation lies upwards of £100million.
Looking forward to this! Hope you all enjoy it?? https://t.co/oRV6XjQc65
— Declan Rice (@_DeclanRice) February 10, 2022
When asked directly about his long-term future, Rice refrained from mentioning any clubs in particular but stated his desire to win an abundance of trophies.
"I have always said it, I don't want to have a career where I've not won anything," he told Gary Neville on the Overlap podcast.
"Growing up as a kid I've seen all these top players win the trophies, win the Premier League, the Champions League.
"Me as a football fan and a player I want to win the best stuff, I want to win the Premier League, I want to lift that trophy, I want to win the Champions League, I want to win the FA Cups, League Cups, even with England, I want to win it all.
"If you haven't got that ambition as a footballer why are you playing? They are the best moments of your life winning those trophies.
"I have thought about it before, what would those days be like lifting that trophy? The day of it, the night out after. I definitely want to have those experiences of winning trophies and being the best I can be."
Thank you for the birthday messages! 23? pic.twitter.com/EMiF9Giaji
— Declan Rice (@_DeclanRice) January 14, 2022
Neville went on to question Rice's future plans, but the England international reiterated that he is solely focused on West Ham.
Asked if the speculation affects him, he added: "You constantly read stuff about myself, Bowen, Lanzini.
"If you're performing well and there are top clubs around there are always going to be people circling. But I never actually read too much into it or believe it until something happens.
"For me it is just noise and I have got to stay focused on what I have got to do at West Ham, which is perform week in, week out and be the best player because that's what I want to be."
Rice has previously mentioned that he is a boyhood Chelsea fan, but the Blues decided against taking Rice on permanently when he was 14.
That led him to West Ham, where he rose through the ranks to the first team. But while his shortcomings at Stamford Bridge are well documented, Rice revealed that the Hammers also came close to dropping him just two years later.
"It was always really tough for me at West Ham because they were actually going to release me as well at 16," he said.
"No one knows that, I have never spoken about that. It was a 50-50 decision, half the coaches were saying keep him on, half the coaches were saying they were not too sure. I only ever got a two-scholarship."
It's fair to say that Rice has since justified the decision to keep him on the books at West Ham, and now six years on he's grown to become one of the world's best midfielders and boasts a nine-figure price tag.
