Kalvin Phillips lifts lid on role Declan Rice played in his decision to join West Ham from Man City

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Kalvin Phillips has lifted the lid on the role former Hammers captain Declan Rice played in his decision to join West Ham from Man City.

West Ham have officially confirmed the signing of England midfielder Kalvin Phillips on loan from Man City.

Hammers boss David Moyes has chased Phillips for two years, dating back to his time at Leeds.

Moyes wanted to recreate the England central midfield partnership of Phillips and Declan Rice at West Ham.

But Leeds rejected West Ham’s £50m offer and Phillips joined Manchester City for £5m less a few months later – as publicly confirmed by Moyes himself since.

Now Phillips arrives at West Ham as part of the rebuild following Rice’s departure to Arsenal in the summer.

Phillips on role Rice played in decision to join West Ham

The Hammers have already signed the brilliant Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse to replace Rice, who has already established himself as one of Arsenal’s best players.

Now Phillips has been added to a formidable new-look midfield to fill the Rice-shaped hole at West Ham.

Some West Ham fans were – and remain – angry with Rice for pushing to leave for the Gunners.

But he may have given his old club a belated parting gift of sorts after a revelation from the new arrival.

Because Phillips has revealed the role former Hammers captain Rice played in his decision to join West Ham from Man City.

‘I spoke to Moyesie on the phone’

And given he has joined the Hammers ahead of a host of other interested clubs it seems whatever Rice had to say has certainly helped.

“I’m delighted to be fair (to sign for West Ham),” Phillips told West Ham’s official Iron Cast.

“I was in Abu Dhabi with City warm weather training camp and all I could think about was getting a loan (move to West Ham) sorted and I spoke to Moyesie over the phone while I was there and he just reassured me that you know this is probably the best place for me to come on loan here and that I’ll love every minute and every second of it.

“And so far I have done already so I’m very happy coming here and signing and I’ll be looking forward to getting going…

‘I’ve spoken to Dec quite a bit about West Ham’

“I think if City hadn’t have come in for me 18 months ago then West Ham would probably have been the club that I’d have come to. It was always in the pipeline, Moyesie has been after me for two years or so he said to me on the phone so I think eventually it was always going to happen.

“I know quite a bit (about West Ham). I know the song before the game! I’ve spoken to Dec quite a bit about West Ham as well and I’ve not spoken to Jarrod (Bowen) or (Danny) Ingsy or Prowsey yet but I’ll see them tomorrow at training…

“I didn’t watch the game (the Europa Conference League final triumph), but I watched the celebrations. I saw loads of videos of Dec celebrating as well. I was very happy for Dec and Jarrod – they’re great guys and I speak to them quite a lot with England.”

Phillips could well be coming face-to-face with Rice when West Ham face Arsenal at the London Stadium on February 11th.

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