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West Ham United star Declan Rice has delivered an ominous warning to captain Mark Noble.

David Moyes admitted last week that Rice is West Ham’s most important player (whufc.com).

Meanwhile 32-year-old homegrown Hammers skipper Noble has faced suggestions from some fans he is no longer capable of performing at the top level.

Noble on the wane?

Noble himself told talkSPORT recently that West Ham are over-reliant on him.

Hammers News took an in-depth look at Noble’s West Ham statistics to see if his career really is on the wane.

Read: Hero to Hammers has-been? Mark Noble the hard cold facts as West Ham career is analysed

And now Rice has delivered a rather ominous warning to his teammate ‘I’m coming for the armband’.

Speaking to West Ham legend Tony Cottee in an interview on the club’s official site, Rice admitted he is aiming to take over the captaincy.

Rice wants Noble’s armband

“It’s a tough one because Nobes has obviously done so well and you don’t know how long he’ll go on for!” Rice told whufc.com.

“I had the honour of having the captain’s armband this season and it felt really special, but I felt the pressure of it! Leading the team out with the armband on was so, so special and something I’d never have dreamed of as a kid.

“One day, I’d love to be captain and that’s where I’ve got to set my standards at.

“I think I’m capable of doing that, so I just think I need to get more experience and improve my leadership abilities, but for sure I can see myself captaining (West Ham) one day.”

Hammers must stay up to see Rice as captain

West Ham fans see Rice as the natural heir to Noble’s captaincy.

But it is highly unlikely he will be around to realise that particular dream if West Ham fail to secure safety this season.

Realistically the Hammers need four wins to stay up.

That makes this weekend’s game against Wolves vital.

Victory would keep Moyes’s side out of the relegation zone and go a long way to making sure they remain a Premier League side next season – and keep hold of stars like Rice.