PELLEGRINI: RICE IS TOPS AND ALL READY FOR ENGLAND

DECLAN RICE is ready to play for England right away as he is the country’s best holding midfielder.

That is the view of West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini who hailed his starlet as a complete player.

Rice (left) announced his decision to change his international allegiance from Ireland to England last week. Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate is hoping to hand him a call-up for next month’s internationals providing his switch is officially finalised by FIFA in time. And Pellegrini sees no reason why Southgate should hesitate to call on the 20-year-old.

He said: “Yes. I think he is ready to play for England and I think that we are just starting the development of him as a player. His performances are better than every holding midfielder – I am talking about the English players.”

Meanwhile, Claudio Ranieri last night hit back at the doubters who believe Fulham are doomed to the drop from the Premier League – and insisted he can perform yet another miracle. Ranieri, whose title win with Leicester in 2016 is rated one of the biggest ‘miracles’ in football, said: “I arrived at Parma more or less at this period.

“The team was near the bottom – but in the end we were safe.

“People are saying, ‘OK, Fulham are down.’ But I am confident. This team is like the one at Parma.”