West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice scored his first senior goal on Saturday with a brilliant curling effort against Arsenal at the Olympic Stadium.
Rice has played 19 games for the Hammers this season after playing 26 games in the last campaign and has recently moved into the midfield under manager Manuel Pellegrini.
🔁 Assist for ex-Arsenal man Samir Nasri
⚽️ First-time finish by the highly-rated Declan Rice, who scores his first goal for the club on his 55th app
🏃♂️ He has been linked with Man City in the January window#WHUARS #TransferNewshttps://t.co/hzEBUtIjLY— Sport on Sporting Life (@SLSport_) January 12, 2019
Rice recently signed a new contract with West Ham that will keep him with the Irons until the summer of 2024 and he insisted that his intention was to always stay with the east London club despite speculation around his future.
“Without a doubt, the plan was always to stay at West Ham,” he said.
“I’ve had the support from the fans, from the players and from the manager and now, to get it done and commit myself to this Club is a very special moment and I’m over the moon.
“I’ve now played 50 games for the first team and I’m progressing week-in, week-out, learning from a top manager and top players. I’m still young, so to put more years on my contract and keep developing here is the best thing for me to do now. With the support of the manager, the players, everyone, it was the right thing to do.”
GOAL!
IRISHMAN DECLAN RICE OPENS THE SCORING!
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) January 12, 2019
⚽️@_DeclanRice is the 10th teenager to score a @premierleague goal for West Ham ⚽️
Teenage PL scorers for @WestHamUtd
Dani
Frank Lampard
Rio Ferdinand
Michael Carrick
Jermain Defoe
Joe Cole
Mark Noble
Freddie Sears
Junior Stanislas
DECLAN RICE pic.twitter.com/O97mjJJBE9— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) January 12, 2019
Anyone that says 'I only want people that want to play for Ireland playing for Ireland need to watch Declan Rice right now. First goal and on course for a MOTM performance
— Darragh Culhane (@DarraghCulhane) January 12, 2019
Didn't see the Declan Rice goal but I imagine he ripped off his jersey to show off his Eirinn go Brach t-shirt underneath when celebrating yeah? #WHUARS
— Aidan Delaney (@aidand472) January 12, 2019
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