‘Tanguy Ndombele was incredible’ – West Ham star Declan Rice picks shock Tottenham star as one of best players he’s faced alongside Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard

Declan Rice was tasked with naming the best players he's faced in the Premier League when he joined YouTubers Golf Life for a game of golf.

But whilst plenty of the West Ham midfielder's shouts were unsurprising, there was one in particular that will shock some football fans.

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Parked up in a golf buggy with the Golf Life presenters, Rice said: "Kevin] de Bruyne is just special.

"The way he thinks about the game, the position he takes up for a holding midfielder is just horrible, he's just constantly making you think.

"Same with David Silva, he was the exact same, just couldn't get near him technically, one, two touch, just technically a step ahead of everyone."

The Hammers midfielder continued: "[Eden] Hazard when he was in the Premier League with Chelsea.

"Obviously I was only just starting to come into the Premier League then. He was just so agile, so quick.

"Even when I played against Liverpool's Thiago last season he's just so silky. He was proper."

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Golf Life presenters Tubes and Ange nodded along in agreement with Rice's shouts.

But the Irons captain's final suggestion was totally unexpected.

"And this one will probably surprise you, I've said it in an interview before, he gets slammed and hammered a little bit and it's going to take you back - but [Tanguy] Ndombele at Spurs," he admitted.

"Honestly the perception of him shouldn't be what it is because I tell you now he's one of the toughest I played against.

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"Like a street footballer but on a football pitch. Takes the ball anywhere, little flicks, little tricks. He doesn't care, he just does everything so confidently."

French midfielder Ndombele was signed by Spurs in 2019 for £55.5million by then-manager Mauricio Pochettino.

But following Pochettino's exit and the arrival of Jose Mourinho as manager, Ndombele's form slipped, leading to a rift between him and the Portuguese boss who was left frustrated with his performances.

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After injury and fitness struggles, Ndombele ended up being loaned to Lyon in January last season after featuring in just nine Premier League games for Spurs in the first half of the campaign.

And Rice said the move to Lyon had clearly allowed Ndombele to demonstrate just how good the he can be.

He added: "With players like that you've just to let them play, let them be free, given them freedom to do whatever they want.

"When we played against Lyon in the Europa League he was incredible."

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