Declan Rice is proud to have been named club captain at West Ham United.

The midfielder succeeds Mark Noble after his retirement at the end of last season.

"He [David Moyes] let me know that I'm going to be captain of West Ham United this season," he told whufc.com. “It's an honour. When I came into the team five years ago, I would never have thought I would be West Ham Club Captain one day. To take it from Nobes as well, it's very special."

It is clear that Rice relishes the responsibility of the role, but does he actually enjoy it?

“Yeah, definitely!" He beams. “I feel like it's a dream to be the captain of a football club. Any football club, it's an absolute honour, and now I get to captain West Ham. With the history behind West Ham, it's special."

Rice watched on with keen eyes and open ears every time Noble stood up to speak, was met with a difficult situation, or had to step up in his captain capacity. With Noble stepping away, his successor is looking to add more elements to his own captaincy.

“Now I'm getting older I'm probably expanding a bit more," Rice explained. “I probably used to be quiet but when I watching Nobes captaining the team – and I wasn't even the vice-captain then – in a way I was taking on what he used to do in the changing room.

“Now I've become one of the more senior lads, even though I'm younger, I tried to be loud and I try to help the lads out. I try to say a few things before the games. I'm quite easy going and approachable. I'll talk to anyone and I feel like the lads like that."