‘The best’: Rio Ferdinand blown away by West Ham star

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Rio Ferdinand has told his YouTube channel that he believes that Declan Rice has potentially been the best-performing midfielder in the country this season, and suggested that Euro 2020 has helped the West Ham star take his game to another level.

Rice has been absolutely outstanding in a Hammers side that go into the international break third in the Premier League.

David Moyes’s men went into the fortnight off the back of a stunning 3-2 victory over Liverpool at the London Stadium.

And Rice more than played his part. As shown by Whoscored, he won five tackles. No other player on either side won more than two during the contest.

Meanwhile, no West Ham player completed more passes than the 22-year-old.

It has been obvious for some time that Rice has the potential to go to the very top. But he appears to have taken his game to another level this term.

He has been colossal. And Ferdinand suggested that his displays for England over the summer appear to have played a big part in his development.

“He has arguably been the best midfielder in the country,” he told his YouTube channel. “He has dominated games, he has played with maturity. The Euros, something’s clicked in him.

“His game management, the way he can change the pace of a game at times, we saw that at Newcastle earlier in the season. He’s added goals now. There’s a maturity in his game for one so young that he’s got levels still to go.”

West Ham keeping Rice fit could be crucial as they threaten to achieve something special

West Ham now have a number of players who appear to be almost irreplaceable in one way or another.

But perhaps no player is more important to their fortunes than Rice. He was a shining light when the team was struggling.

And he has been outrageously good now that West Ham are flying.

Should he stay fit, the Irons have every chance of achieving something very special this season.

And from there, it is hard to imagine Rice wanting to ply his trade anywhere else.