Former West Ham midfielder Joe Cole has hailed one key player at his old club for playing a major role in the development of Declan Rice.
Rice has impressed in recent seasons with the Hammers, featuring 34 times in the Premier League last season, after making 26 appearances in the 2017/18 campaign.
The 20-year-old has also become a key player for Gareth Southgate's England side since switching allegiance from Republic of Ireland earlier this year, with Rice featuring six times for the Three Lions.
Indeed, Cole believes Rice is showing signs that he could become one of the best midfielders in the top tier and maybe even around Europe.
Not only that, Cole has spoken about the key role that Mark Noble has played in helping Rice break on the scene and develop as quickly as he has.
"Declan Rice is very tactically astute. He has got an old head on young shoulders and is in the right position at the right time.
“Credit has to go to Mark Noble as well, who I know looks after him and acts as a mentor.
“If you’ve got a good senior professional within a team who has a strong voice on the pitch, that can take your game up by 10 to 15 per cent.
“I believe those two formed a really good partnership towards the end of last season.”
