Manchester United are reportedly considering a £70 million bid to land English international Declan Rice in the January transfer window.
According to a report by Daily Mirror, Manchester United are weighing up a January bid to secure the services of Declan Rice. The Premier League heavyweights could table an offer worth £70 million to West Ham United, hoping to sign the English international with the bid.
Declan Rice spent his formative years at Chelsea before moving across London to join West Ham United towards the latter end of his youth footballing days. The player made such a rapid impression at the Hammers’ academy that he ended up making his first-team debut aged 18.
Over the last couple of years, Rice has grown considerably, establishing himself as a mainstay in the West Ham midfield whilst also cementing his place in international football, having chosen to represent England over Ireland earlier this year. His progress has also caught the eye of some of the biggest clubs in the Premier League, with Manchester United keen on signing him.
Things seem to be going from bad to worse with every passing season for Manchester United. One of the key reasons for their struggles this term is a lack of quality in midfield, with Scott McTominay the only player who has performed consistently from the middle of the park.
The likes of Fred, Nemanja Matic and Andreas Pereira are all proving to be liabilities and the decision to not replace Marouane Fellaini and Ander Herrera in the summer has come back to haunt Manchester United. And so, it has been suggested that the fallen giants of English football could enter the market for a midfielder in the January transfer window.
Rice has been reported to be one of the Red Devils’ top targets, one whose addition could go a long way in solving some of the pertinent issues in their midfield. With Matic regressing considerably over the last year or so, Manchester United lack a genuine holding midfielder in their squad, thereby making Rice a viable target.
To that end, the report suggests that Manchester United are considering lodging a £70 million bid to land the English international in the January transfer window. But, seeing as Rice signed a new long-term deal with West Ham last year, United could have a tall order in their bid to sign the player.
Another obstacle is Rice’s stance over a possible move, with the 20-year-old recently insisting that West Ham is the ideal club for him to be at right now, while also committing himself to Manuel Pellegrini’s squad. But, it remains to be seen if a £70 million bid helps turn heads at the London Stadium and if a January move sees the light of the day.
