It's time to move on over Rice

The Hammers midfielder, 20, revealed his switch from the Republic of Ireland to England led to threats against him and his family in some vitriolic online abuse.

Rice represented the Irish team at youth level and went on to make three senior appearances before announcing his attention to switch to the country of his birth at the start of the year.

Having now established himself as part of Gareth Southgate's set-up, earning a fifth cap for the Three Lions in the Euro 2020 qualifier against Kosovo, Irons' boss Pellegrini feels it is time to move on.

"I think Declan delayed his decision and had a think and a talk with the people important to him so I don't have any doubt that it was the right decision Declan took for his life," he said. "Of course, not everybody is happy, but everyone has to respect him for that and he shouldn't give them too much importance because it doesn't matter what other people think."

West Ham return to Premier League action away against Aston Villa on Monday night.