Manchester United could reportedly be ready to move in on Declan Rice in the summer transfer window as midfield reinforcements are targeted.
According to a report from the Express, Manchester United could make a move for West Ham United star Declan Rice in the summer after manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer agreed with the club’s new Football Director John Murtough and Technical Director Darren Fletcher that the England international would be a good signing.
Rice, 22, spent time at the Chelsea academy before making the switch to the West Ham youth setup in 2014. Having risen through the ranks, he broke into the first-team in 2017, under former Manchester United boss David Moyes and has not looked back since.
Having broken out as a centre-back, Rice has made his name in the defensive midfield role, establishing himself as one of the best in the position in the Premier League. A first-choice for both club and country in the No. 6 role, the 22-year-old has constantly been linked with a move to a bigger club for quite some time now.
Chelsea were intent on signing him last summer but a move failed to materialise while the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool are said to have already made enquiries about a potential transfer for the midfielder with his agent.
Now, it is being claimed that Manchester United could be ready to launch a move for Rice as the club seek a long-term replacement for veteran midfielder Nemanja Matic. While Scott McTominay is seen as a huge asset by the Red Devils, they will dip their toes into the transfer market to strengthen the defensive midfield area, with Rice being their likeliest target.
This development comes after Manchester United performed a major shake-up in their transfer department recently, with Murtough and Fletcher being appointed to their new roles. While Solskjaer will have the final say over transfers, the three have held discussions over Rice and are in total agreement that he would be a good signing for the club, the report adds.
However, Manchester United are wary that they might require to offer a transfer fee in excess of £80 million in order to convince West Ham United to even consider parting ways with their prized asset. There have been suggestions that the Red Devils could use someone like Jesse Lingard, who is shining on loan with the Hammers as a makeweight to drag the price down.
Nonetheless, a move for Rice, in the upcoming summer looks extremely difficult. More so, considering that West Ham United are well within a shout of finishing in the top four and could very well be playing European football next season.
