Declan Rice claims he has been studying past midfield greats Patrick Vieira and Yaya Toure in order to propel his game forward.
Rice is one of the brightest midfield prospects in the country, and is having a fine season to mirror that of his West Ham team.
He is keen to dispel the notion that he is defensive shield, and is eager to show that he can be a box-to-box performer.
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What has been said?
“I think a lot of people see me as a simple, basic player who gets it, gives it and protects the back four,” Rice told Sky Sports following West Ham’s win over Leeds on Monday.