Declan Rice has admitted his admiration for reported Liverpool transfer target Jude Bellingham.
The pair are currently on International duty with Gareth Southgate’s England squad, alongside the Reds’ Jordan Henderson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, and the West Ham midfielder has heaped huge praise on the 19-year-old.
The Borussia Dortmund star is one of the hottest prospects in world football at the moment and Jurgen Klopp’s side is reportedly ready to smash 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’s energetic. He’s strong, has self-belief, no fear,” the West Ham captain told talkSPORT (via the Metro).
“He’s got everything as a 19-year-old, you know, he’s a man, he has played on the big occasions already. He’s ready to play, but obviously it’s down to the manager to pick what he thinks is best.
“He’s still only 19 – by the time he’s 22, 23, he’s going to be incredible.”
On current form, you’d have every right to suggest that the aforementioned pair 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 youngster has revealed how much he enjoys playing alongside his fellow midfielder and is looking forward to creating a ‘special bond’ with the teenager.
“When I’ve played with Jude, I loved it,” he said.
“Obviously it takes time to gel with a partner, you’re not going to get that connection straight away.
“But over time you do and even with all the other midfielders in the squad, I hope that we can go on for the next 10 years and create a special, special bond in the middle of the pitch.
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“I hope everyone does well because that’s what you need. You need a squad and you need everyone to be at it and you need to be ready whenever you’re called upon.’
“If I was playing next to Jude, obviously I already have done in a major tournament, I would say to him to just to go and express himself.
“Go and do what he does best. Go and get on the ball and attack people, go and run at people.
“If you lose the ball, don’t care, just go and enjoy it and I’ll be there to defend for you.
“When you’ve got a player like that you need to give them the luxury of getting on the ball and expressing themselves and he’s got that in there.”
Rice is a quality player in his own right and he too has the ability to control the game from the middle of the park, but it’s Bellingham who Liverpool supporters are crying out for the club to sign.
Klopp’s side signed Arthur Melo on loan from Juventus on deadline day earlier this month but many are expecting the Dortmund No. 22 to arrive on Merseyside next summer.
He will cost the club a serious amount of money but when you consider that he’s already a fully-fledged England international, has Champions League experience and is just 19 years of age – paying a huge sum certainly makes sense.
We’d expect Henderson and Alexander-Arnold to be able to play important roles in securing the signature of their international teammate given they’ll be spending time with him whilst on international duty but we’ll just have to wait and see.
He certainly looks like a player that could become a real superstar at Anfield for the next decade or so.
For now, though, we need to focus on the current campaign and ensuring we’re as competitive as possible on all fronts once again.