Graeme Souness in the Sky Sports studio
Graeme Souness has revealed where Declan Rice needs to improve (Picture: Sky Sports)

Graeme Souness has reiterated his belief that West Ham midfielder Declan Rice needs to offer more to be regarded as a ‘truly world-class player’.

Rice has established himself as one of the most consistent players in the Premier League and a regular for England over the past five seasons.

The 24-year-old passed 200 appearances for West Ham earlier in the season and has 40 caps for England, having featured heavily at Euro 2020 and the Qatar World Cup.

Rice’s form in east London has sparked interest from Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United but Souness believes he needs to do more to justify those links and ‘challenge himself’ to improve.

While Rice is expected to leave West Ham at the end of the season, the Hammers have claimed they want at least £100m for the midfielder, potentially making him the most expensive English player in history.

‘In an earlier column this season, I wrote that Declan Rice still had much to prove in certain areas of his game to be regarded as a really top-class central midfield player,’ Souness told the Daily Mail.

‘He needs to get on the half-turn more when he receives the ball from his defenders and play it forward more, and not be content with going back to where it came from and square with his passes.

Declan Rice in West Ham kit
Rice is expected to leave West Ham this summer (Picture: Getty)

‘And he needs to chip in with more goals. He has scored twice in the Premier League this season in 26 games and it’s not enough.

‘Now Rice has said his piece, too. He thinks that my criticism is “harsh” and that I don’t see him play every week. That’s true. But I have seen him enough, for West Ham and for England.

‘I watched the game against Italy and the same things were on show. Any world-class midfield player is on the half-turn most of the time and looking to play forwards.

‘How many times did Rice do that in Naples? Not nearly enough for me. Get some videos of Kroos and Modric playing in their midfield roles for Real Madrid. Or go back a few years and watch Paul Scholes.

‘As we saw against Italy, he has mastered the defensive side of the job. But I just think he has to strive to be better and never be content with his lot. That’s what great players do. 

‘Will he end up one day as a central defender — which I think is very possible — or does he want to be a top, top central midfield player starring in the Champions League every season?

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‘I bet Declan is a cracking lad to work with and popular with his team-mates and great to manage. But he needs to aim for the stars. This is just my opinion.

‘But I think he should ask himself one question as he moves his career forwards — “How do I become a truly world-class player?” The bottom line is that at 24 he must constantly challenge himself to get better.’

Rice helped England kick-start their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with a 2-1 victory over Italy on Thursday night. Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions welcome Ukraine to Wembley on Sunday.

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