England like what they see in Rice

ENGLAND assistant boss Steve Holland will deliver a glowing appraisal of West Ham starlet Declan Rice when he speaks with Gareth Southgate in the next 48 hours. Holland was at the London Stadium to watch the 19-year-old produce another mature display in the comfortable win over Manchester United on Saturday, enhancing his reputation as one of the best young talents in the Premier League. Sportsmail understands Football Association chiefs have received significant encouragement the teenager is keen to pursue a career with England over the past fortnight. On Saturday, Holland would have been particularly impressed with the way Rice helped the Hammers dominate the midfield area. He will meet with Southgate at the start of this week to finalise their squad to face Croatia and Spain later this month. Rice’s emergence will be high on the agenda ahead of Thursday’s announcement. Rice has played three times for the Republic of Ireland, but is still eligible to switch allegiance under FIFA regulations because his international appearances have not been in competitive fixtures. Southgate and Holland are desperate to secure Rice’s services, and his performance at the weekend will only have strengthened their resolve to persuade him to choose England. Sources claim Rice, who was born in London to English parents, is currently leaning towards England, though a final decision is yet to be made.