£45m reported West Ham target left applauding by what Declan Rice has done in England training

West Ham target Kalvin Phillips has been left impressed by Hammers talisman Declan Rice during England training.

Both midfielders have been called up by Gareth Southgate for the clashes with Italy and Ukraine to get Euro 2024 qualification underway.

£45 million man Phillips has been mentioned by journalist Ben Jacobs as a potential West Ham target and played alongside Rice en route to the final of Euro 2020.

Phillips’ move to Manchester City has not worked out as planned, with Jacobs mentioning that the England midfielder may look to move.

Kalvin Phillips was impressed by Declan Rice in England training

He said: “From Manchester City’s point of view, they still want to assess how he actually develops because he’s relatively new at the football club. So it’s not a given that Kalvin Phillips will leave, but it hasn’t worked out as all parties had hoped.

“Up until this point, there’s still time to change the narrative but it’s not unthinkable come the summer, that he’ll exit and West Ham is one of the Premier League clubs looking.”

England posted on social media a clip of Rice putting a shot into the back of the net and midfield colleague Phillips applauding a smart finish.

With Rice’s future up in the air, it might be more than Phillips is being talked about as a potential replacement in the heart of midfield.

Plenty of things are up in the air at the London Stadium, not least the managerial situation, with David Moyes seemingly under pressure all season.

Rice and Phillips were incredible at Euro 2020, but may not get a chance to resume that partnership anytime soon, given the latter’s lack of club games has shunted him down the international pecking order.

The emergence of Jude Bellingham has not helped Phillips either, and it remains to be seen how hard he pushes to leave City in the summer.