Declan Rice has posted a heartfelt message to West Ham fans after his return to the London Stadium.
On Wednesday, the midfielder played against the Hammers for the first time since his £105million move to Arsenal, with the Gunners losing 3-1 to their London rivals in the last-16 of the Carabao Cup.
Rice, who brought an end to his 10 years with West Ham this summer, received a smattering of boos from the home end as he came on in the second half of the game.
But for the most part, the former Hammers captain received a warm reception, with many fans clapping him as he warmed up, when he came on and after the final whistle.
Responding to the welcome he received on his return, Rice ignored the boos and posted a snap of him clapping the West Ham fans on his Instagram story, alongside a heartwarming message.
He said: «Despite the result, Loved being back at the stadium & seeing so many familiar faces.
»Thank you West Ham fans for the reception. Will be forever grateful to all of you.
«Wish you all nothing but the best for the rest of the season. See you soon!»
The 24-year-old England star racked up 245 appearances for the Hammers following his first team debut in 2015.
He also led West Ham to European glory, with the Hammers winning the Europa Conference League in Rice's final game at the club.
Rice won't have envisioned losing to his former side on his return when he left the London Stadium, but he and his side will now quickly be turning their attention to their Premier League clash against Newcastle.
West Ham will face Liverpool away at Anfield in the next round of the Carabao Cup at the end of December.
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