West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice is reportedly being monitored by fellow Premier League side Liverpool.
The Lowdown: Rice's situation at West Ham
As things stand, Rice's current contract at the east London club is set to expire in the summer of 2024, although the Hammers have the option to extend that for a further year.
Previous reports have suggested that the midfielder is not keen to sign a new deal at the London Stadium and is open for a move away from the club.
Now though, it appears that one top-flight side have made it their mission to assess the player while he's in action for England during the World Cup in Qatar.
The Latest: Liverpool monitoring Rice
According to a recent report from Football Insider, Liverpool will be closely monitoring Rice and how he reacts to the big-game World Cup pressure.
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The report also adds that the Merseyside club are looking to sign a big-name midfielder in the next summer transfer window such as Rice or his England teammate Jude Bellingham.
The Verdict: A nightmare for West Ham
Having played every minute of league action for David Moyes' side this season, this shows just how vital the captain is for West Ham.
Across his 15 league appearances, the 23-year-old has picked up the highest passing accuracy percentage (89.1%) as well as making more progressive passes (61) than any other player at the club.
Then from a defensive point of view, only Tomas Soucek (71) has racked up a higher combined total of tackles and interceptions than Rice (60).
Hailed by Gary Lineker for his "magnificent" performances for the Hammers in the past, the £60k-per-week midfielder's potential exit would certainly be a massive blow for West Ham, especially if he were to go to another top-flight club such as Liverpool.
With that in mind, regardless of how interested Liverpool are in signing Rice, the east London club should not give up their attempts to get the player to sign a new contract.