Declan Rice staying clear of transfer speculation after self-imposed Twitter ban
Captain Harry Kane and midfielder Jack Grealish have both been linked with big-money moves.
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Your support makes all the difference.England midfielder Declan Rice says a self-imposed Twitter ban during Euro 2020 means he has not seen any transfer speculation surrounding his team-mates.
Captain Harry Kane and midfielder Jack Grealish have both been linked with £100million moves to Manchester City while Jadon Sancho is reported to be close to a switch to Manchester United.
Rice says it would be disrespectful for players to discuss it in the England camp, not that he knows anything about it due to his removal from Twitter.
“I have not seen a thing. I haven’t been on Twitter for that long, I haven’t seen a thing,” he said.
“As players I think it would be disrespectful if we were speaking about it around other players.
“There is speculation about players going, but the main focus at the minute is the country, trying to win this tournament.
“If players want to have a move that can be done and dealt with after the tournament, I think while we are we have to be strictly focused on what we are doing with England and whatever happens with the club takes care of itself after the tournament.
I felt for this tournament it was best to come off it and just focus on the tournament and myself
“I have just deleted Twitter, I did it after the Croatia game, nothing bad, I just thought, I like Twitter, I read stuff, I felt for this tournament it was best to come off it and just focus on the tournament and myself.
“Sometimes you can put doubts in your mind about your ability. I had to come off it, I am sure I will be back on it soon.”
Rice will be hoping to be in Gareth Southgate’s team for the last-16 tie with Germany on Tuesday as Euro 2020 hots up.
With the Three Lions coming up against the old enemy in a knockout tie, conversation has inevitably turned towards penalty shootouts, given famous defeats in the 1990 World Cup and Euro 96.
Rice has said he would be willing to stand up and take a kick if it goes that far, even though he does not have the best record during his youth career at Chelsea.
“Three tournaments at Chelsea as a kid, three chances to win it for our team and I missed all three,” he said. “That doesn’t sound very good. But I feel back then as a kid the pressure of going away and winning a tournament, you went up to it all nervous.
“It is weird saying it now, with fans watching. I have been practising all season with West Ham and when I came here, it is just about the process in my head.
“When the ref blows his whistle, you don’t have to go, just give yourself an extra couple of seconds and relax. Then it’s just about visualisation, where you are going to put the ball in the net, they are things that have developed when I get older.
“I am just trying to practise and if my name gets called up on I will be confident.”