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Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount has claimed that he was disappointed when his childhood friend and West Ham United captain Declan Rice was released from the Blues' academy eight years ago.
Mount, along with Reece James, is considered to be one of the best Cobham graduates since former Blues captain John Terry. But Rice, who joined the west London outfit's youth setup in 2006, failed to impress in his early years, unlike his England team-mate.
After being released from the Chelsea academy at the age of 14, Rice joined West Ham United. He made his senior team debut for the Hammers in 2017 and has established himself as one of the best holding midfielders in the world.
The Englishman was handed the captain's armband following Mark Noble's retirement in May this year.
Speaking on Tubes & Ange Golf Life, Mount opened up about his feelings when Rice was let go by his current club. He said:
"When Dec [Rice] went it was tough. You know how close we are, but it kind of made me want to do it even more. I was gutted that he left and I felt like he shouldn't have left. I just wanted to do it even more for him as well."
He continued:
"I knew the path he was going to go on and what type of person he is. I knew he was going to make it his own way. But it's mad how the journey works."
Overall, Rice has registered 10 goals and 11 goals in 199 appearances across all competitions for West Ham United. He has also earned 32 international caps for England since his debut in 2019.
Chelsea have been regularly linked with a move for Rice but an astronomical price tag of £150 million has made a potential deal impossible. The Blues are expected to keep tabs on the player as his contract at the London Stadium is set to expire in 2024.
Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante on the radar of Paris Saint-Germain
According to Daily Mail, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are monitoring the contract situation of Chelsea star N'Golo Kante, who is in the final year of his current deal at Stamford Bridge.
The Frenchman, who arrived from Leicester City for £30 million in 2016, has registered 13 goals and 15 assists in 262 matches for the west London outfit. Kante has helped the Blues lift six trophies, including the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League titles.
