Arsenal star Declan Rice says he is “conditioned and built” to last the course of England’s World Cup bid as he picked up an injury scare against Ghana.
Rice revealed earlier in the week that he has been managing a hamstring injury since the start of the year and he felt pain in the second half of the opening match against Croatia last Wednesday, coming off in the 70th minute.
Former England right-back Gary Neville said he was “worried” by the admission as he usually sees the Arsenal star as “unbreakable”.
“I’ve been lucky enough to play in Europe for the last six years, my last three years at West Ham, my first three with Arsenal, so my body’s been conditioned and built for these moments for playing long seasons,” Rice said.
“I’ll probably say this season has been mentally tougher than physically, just because the emotions of a football player is crazy, the feelings and emotions we go through in a season is up and down, you need to find that balance.
“I think at this moment in time, (I’m) in a mentally very good space, physically I feel really good as well. So I want to keep taking this into the end of the end of tournament.”
Rice was a key player in Arsenal’s dominant campaign and believes getting over the line at domestic level will help him boss matters at the global showpiece.
“I think I come into this tournament with bundles of confidence,” the 27-year-old said. “Obviously, my first two seasons at Arsenal, we lost narrowly in the title, coming second twice.
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“And I remember saying at the PFA Awards last year, even in life, you need to go through small losses in order to win big, and I felt at Arsenal that was coming.
“I just felt that the team, the manager, the way we were playing… So now we’ve got over the line of that, I feel like I come into England with a spring in my step.
“Just a real confidence, and for sure I can bring that into this tournament and, as the games go on and we keep playing against good opposition, I feel like you are going to keep seeing the best of me.”
The set piece specialist was spotted in the mixed zone with wrapping around his calf and a significant limp after England’s 0-0 draw with Ghana, and the Gunners have already made plans to improve in midfield with a move for Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers.
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They are also looking to provide more depth in Rice’s deeper position, and have now been handed a deadline for a player with plenty of suitors.
Roma set Manu Kone deadline
Both Arsenal and Tottenham have been weighing up moves for Roma and France star Manu Kone this summer, who started his nation’s second group game against Iraq.
Arsenal agreed personal terms with Kone earlier this month before Spurs weighed up a hijack just this week, and both teams have now been given a deadline following the appointment of Roma’s new sporting director, Tony D’Amico.
D’Amico has told both Premier League sides they can sign the midfielder this summer, but they must complete a deal before Tuesday, June 30, Football FanCast sources understand.
This is the deadline for Roma to settle their books in line with FFP regulations, and the Serie A club want to cash in on Kone for around €50m (£43m).
If a deal is not completed before that deadline, Roma would prefer to keep the player, as they believe his value will skyrocket after a successful World Cup campaign with France.
Kone, a defensive midfielder by trade, scored twice and provided three assists in 29 games in the Italian top flight last season, and Italian journalist Piero Torri believes he is worth more than Sandro Tonali.
“If Arsenal are genuinely interested, he could be useful to Roma because they don’t skimp on investments. But if Tottenham spends €80-€85m on Tonali, how can Konè cost half that? Something doesn’t add up for me.”
