“Yeah, growing up, the whole family was Chelsea”. It should not as come as a surprise when Declan Rice told Gary Neville he grew up supporting the Blues or his family’s affection for the west London club.
Rice went on to address that it has become an open secret, only hardened by his early years in Chelsea’s academy and the pain felt when he was let go at the age of 14 before joining the West Ham’s academy.
But the midfielder’s further comments on a club icon prove how beneficial his major signing could be to Thomas Tuchel heading into next season and beyond.
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Speaking to Gary Neville on The Overlap, the England midfielder revealed his affection for Chelsea’s greatest ever captain, John Terry, when asked who his childhood hero was.
“I speak to him a lot. I talk to him all the time, really.
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“For me growing up being a Chelsea fan having a season ticket there, going to all the big games just being in the academy, just him, looking at him. Everything was JT. The kit JT26 on the back, even when I was young, said if I make it, I want to be number 26.
“But I feel like as I’ve got older, now I’ve grown out of that, because it would look a little bit creepy, getting the 26 on the back because of JT, but 100 per cent JT, he was amazing for me when I got released as well, he picked up the phone, he didn’t have to I was only 14 at the time, and I was speaking to my idol, so yeah we’ve got a good relationship.”
Rice’s affection for both Chelsea and friendship with John Terry is not breaking news, given the club icon regularly sings the 23-year-old’s praises online.
Last month Terry returned to Chelsea in a part-time coaching role to help the academy, but you can only imagine the full-circle nature still being present at Cobham if Rice was signed from West Ham this summer.
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Terry’s influence on Rice proves why his significant arrival can be so long-lasting for Thomas Tuchel.
Not only does the eye test and stats paint the picture of a world-class midfielder, but the intangible element of connection to Chelsea and desire to be a vocal leader can begin to form the spine of the club’s next golden generation.
Even if there is a high player turnover, having those consistent figures within the dressing room to maintain standards and keep a sense of longevity is important. For almost a decade, this was the case with Petr Cech, John Terry, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba: the spine of Chelsea’s greatest ever team.
Even with the aggression of a character like Antonio Rudiger and the masterful wisdom of Thiago Silva, there still is a feeling the current group lack more dominance in central midfield, and Rice would provide that.
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https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/transfer-news/john-terry-100m-chelsea-tuchel-22990435
