Declan Rice has admitted his admiration for Liverpool transfer target Jude Bellingham.
The pair are currently on international duty with Gareth Southgate’s England team, along with the Reds’ Jordan Henderson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, and the 19-year-old has been highly praised by the West Ham midfielder.
The Borussia Dortmund star is one of the hottest prospects in world football right now and Jurgen Klopp’s side are reportedly set to break their transfer record to sign the Borussia Dortmund star next summer.
Rice, who is also attracting interest from top Premier League clubs, has been discussing the former Birmingham City star’s ability and potential.
“I think he is energetic. He is strong, he is confident, he is fearless,” the West Ham captain told talkSPORT (via Metro).
“He has it all as a 19-year-old, you know, he’s a man, he’s already played on the big occasions. He is ready to play, but obviously it is up to the coach to choose what he thinks is best.
“He’s still only 19 years old; by the time he’s 22, 23, it’s going to be amazing.”
As it stands, I would have every right to suggest that the aforementioned pairing will be Southgate’s preferred midfield duo when the Three Lions head to Qatar for the World Cup in November.
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The former Chelsea player has revealed how much he enjoys playing alongside his fellow midfielder and hopes to create a “special bond” with the teenager.
“When I played with Jude, I loved it,” he said.
“Obviously it takes time to bond with a partner, you won’t get that connection right away.
“But with time you do and even with all the other midfielders in the team, I hope we can carry on for the next 10 years and create a special, special bond in midfield.
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“I hope everyone does well because that’s what it takes. You need a squad and you need everyone to be in it and you need to be ready when called.’
“If I was playing alongside Jude, obviously I’ve already played in a major tournament, I would tell him to just go and express himself.
Go and do what you do best. Go and get on the ball and attack the people, go and run towards the people.
“If you lose the ball, don’t worry, just go and enjoy it and I’ll be there to defend you.
“When you have a player like that, you have to give him the luxury of taking the ball and expressing himself, and he has that there.”
Rice is a quality player in his own right and also has the ability to control the game from midfield, but it is Bellingham that Liverpool supporters are clamoring for the club to sign.
Klopp’s side signed Arthur Melo on loan from Juventus on deadline day earlier this month, but many expect the No. 22 Dortmund to arrive on Merseyside next summer.
It will cost the club a huge amount of money, but when you consider that he is already a full-fledged England international, has Champions League experience and is only 19, paying a large sum certainly makes sense.
We’re hoping Henderson and Alexander-Arnold can play a big part in securing their international teammate’s signing since they’ll be spending time with him while on international duty, but we’ll have to wait and see.
He certainly looks like a player who could become a true superstar at Anfield over the next decade or so.
For now though, we need to focus on the current campaign and make sure we are as competitive as possible on all fronts once again.
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