Ireland under-21 cap Declan Rice signs long-term deal at West Ham

Republic of Ireland under-21 international Declan Rice has been awarded a three-and-a-half-year deal that will keep him at the club for the next three-and-a-half years.

 

The defender is captain of the Hammers' under-23 side and featured as an unused substitute for the first team in a 4-1 win over Swansea in December but has yet to make his senior bow.

 

The Londoner, who made his debut for Noel King's under-21s at the age of 17, is highly-rated within the club and has recently attracted the interest of cross-city rivals Arsenal.

 

“I’m delighted to have been rewarded with a new contract,” Rice told the club's official website.

 

“It has been an amazing season for me, I think I’ve kicked on and progressed.

 



“I’m happy now that the contract has been signed and I can just focus on trying to improve even more and hopefully get a game for the first team before the end of the season.

 

“After the season I’ve had, being on the bench for the first team and captaining the U23s in every game, it’s been amazing.

 

“I’ve trained with the first team quite a bit as well and that makes me want to kick on even more.”

 



The one-time Chelsea trainee is expecting to return to Tom Mohan's under-19s squad for the forthcoming UEFA European Championships Elite Round qualifiers in Belgium later this month.

 

Ireland were drawn in a tough group with the hosts, Sweden and Italy – a carbon copy of the senior team's Euro 2016 group – and will need to top the group to progress.

 

“I got my first call up for the U21s a couple of months ago and that was a great experience to be with a different set of lads and learn from coaches who have a different style,” Rice added.

 

“We’ve got the Euros with the U19s coming up next month and I haven’t been with them in a while so I cannot wait to play with them again.”