West Ham midfielder Declan Rice says he wants to stay close to his roots in south-west London amid transfer talk

Declan Rice has poured cold water on a possible move north to one of the Premier League's super clubs by declaring he wants to stay close to his hometown of Kingston-upon-Thames in London. Rice's performances in West Ham and England shirts over the last year have drawn significant attention to him, and there has been plentiful speculation over a move away from the London Stadium. Ad/> But Rice is clearly a man in tune with his life priorities.

League OneKeane to hold talks with Sunderland over managerial vacancy — reportsYESTERDAY AT 11:46 Speaking to Gary Neville on The Overlap Extra, the 23-year-old said: "'I'm here [Kingston] all the time. «I've always wanted to stay close to this place. »I feel like I don't want to lose my roots." We still want Carvalho, says Klopp Ashley Cole joins Lampard’s coaching team at Everton Berenguer goal gives Athletic victory to knock Real out and reach Copa semi-finals With the town being just seven miles from Stamford Bridge, Rice grew up a fan of Chelsea and revealed he is in regular touch with a Blues legend.

«I feel like it's out there, everyone knows, it's well-documented [his Chelsea heritage, which included a spell in the club's academy as a boy],» Rice said. «But I feel like when you play for a club like West Ham you become really affiliated to it, and there's part of me now — and my family as well — that is a massive West Ham fan. »John Terry was my idol.

«For me growing up being a Chelsea fan, having a season ticket there, going to all the games, being in the academy. »Just him, looking at him, everything was JT as a kid. JT [number] 26 on the back.