---
title: "Jose Fonte says Declan Rice ‘deserves all the credit’ for career pathway"
canonical: "https://readwestham.com/2021/10/06/jose-fonte-says-declan-rice-deserves-all-the-credit-for-career-pathway/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Dan Clubbe"
section: "West Ham News"
published: "2021-10-06T16:00:00Z"
modified: "2021-10-06T16:00:00Z"
---

# Jose Fonte says Declan Rice ‘deserves all the credit’ for career pathway

Former [West Ham](https://readwestham.com/2021/10/06/virals-west-ham-among-several-suitors-for-spanish-defender-dani-vivian/) central defender Jose Fonte has stated that [Declan Rice](https://readwestham.com/2021/10/05/noel-whelan-believes-declan-rice-knows-hes-leaving-west-ham/) ‘deserves all the credit’ for his career development.

The experienced Portuguese centre-back, now at Lille, was a [teammate](https://www.premierleague.com/players/4606/player/overview) of the 22-year-old at the London Stadium for a brief period during the 2017/18 season.

In fact, Rice made an early Premier League appearance as a second-half substitute for Fonte in a [2-2 draw](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/crystal-palace_west-ham-united/index/spielbericht/2872209) against Crystal Palace.

That outing was Rice’s first [showing as a defender](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/declan-rice/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/357662/plus/0/saison/2017/wettbewerb/GB1/verein/379) for the Hammers – one of [16 so far](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/declan-rice/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/357662/saison//verein/379/liga/0/wettbewerb/GB1/trainer_id/0/pos/3) in his career.

On punditry duty speaking to [talkSPORT Breakfast](https://talksport.com/football/957133/), the 37-year-old discussed the Englishman’s development into a leading midfielder.

> Everybody acknowledged that he had the potential to go all the way. He was just trying to break in at the time \[I was there\]. You know, he used to be a centre-back. I didn’t expect him to be a midfielder and when he started to play consistently in the midfield and doing so well it was kind of surprising because at centre-back he was great. I already said that as a centre-back he had a future, so it’s fantastic for him. I’m so pleased for Declan, he’s such a great professional, a hard-working player, and a good kid. He deserves all the credit that he’s getting.

Fonte made [24 appearances](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jose-fonte/leistungsdatenverein/spieler/33829) for the Irons before moving to DL Yifang in China.

### READ WEST HAM VERDICT

It’s true, Rice’s pathway from fledgeling centre-back to [barnstorming midfielder](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/332325/Show/Declan-Rice) has been a joy to watch.

Seemingly adding more to a well-rounded game all the time, the [26-cap](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/declan-rice/nationalmannschaft/spieler/357662/verein_id/3299) England man is now adding goals as well.

Despite so far only [netting five times](https://www.premierleague.com/players/15202/Declan-Rice/stats) in 138 league outings, already this season Rice has scored twice and provided two assists – a sure sign of an advanced role in David Moyes’ side.