---
title: "Manchester City: Declan Rice could be signed in swap deal"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/manchester-city-declan-rice-transfer-rumours/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Dominic Lund"
section: "Manchester City News"
published: "2023-01-08T11:45:06Z"
modified: "2023-01-08T11:45:06Z"
---

# Manchester City: Declan Rice could be signed in swap deal

**[Manchester City](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/manchester-city-news/) could win the race to sign [Declan Rice](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tag/declan-rice/) by offering [Kalvin Phillips](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tag/kalvin-phillips/) plus cash to West Ham United this summer, according to a new report.**

### The Lowdown: Interest in Rice

There have been numerous [Premier League](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premier-league-news/) clubs interested in the 23-year-old for quite some time, with [90min](https://www.90min.com/posts/declan-rice-remains-top-chelsea-midfield-wish-list) naming Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Man City as potential suitors in October.

While West Ham have so far been reluctant to sell, with David Moyes previously claiming that it would take a minimum of [£150m](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2022/04/01/declan-rice-worth-record-150m-midfielder-not-sale-insists-david/) for a deal to be done, City could now hold an advantage in the race by being able to offer the Irons a ready-made replacement.

### The Latest: Swap deal possible

According to [Football Insider](https://www.footballinsider247.com/sources-west-ham-willing-to-agree-sensational-declan-rice-swap-deal/), West Ham would be willing to part with Rice for Phillips plus cash in a summer deal, with Moyes considered a big admirer of the former Leeds colossus.

It is unclear whether this move would interest [Pep Guardiola](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tag/pep-guardiola/), but the City manager has recently gone public with his frustrations surrounding Phillips returning home from World Cup duty with England [overweight](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12773679/man-city-boss-pep-guardiola-on-kalvin-phillips-fitness-hes-not-injured-he-arrived-overweight).

\[freshpress-quiz id=”410621″\]

### The Verdict: Get it done?

There is no doubting Rice’s talent, ranked as by far the best Premier League performer in the West Ham squad with an average Sofascore rating of [7.23](https://www.sofascore.com/team/football/west-ham-united/37), and he has more than earned a move to one of England’s top clubs by now.

Lauded as ‘[incredible](https://twitter.com/Matt_Law_DT/status/1410134779664777216?s=20&t=nONohuo08HjwDNLAbzMEAQ)‘ by journalist Matt Law, the Englishman is fantastic on the ball, epitomised by an average pass completion rate of [90.3%](https://fbref.com/en/players/1c7012b8/Declan-Rice) per game over the past year. That ranks him in the 95th percentile compared to his positional peers in Europe’s major leagues and makes him perfect for Guardiola’s [possession-based](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjg1LnI5bf8AhUYhFwKHZuQDQsQFnoECCIQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goal.com%2Fen%2Fnews%2Ftactics-triangles-tika-taka-train-pep-guardiola%2Fblte5a49a426df9b105&usg=AOvVaw3seIFt2w9Odnta1vEkfr4W) system.

The Spaniard has previously raved about the Irons midfielder, describing him as an ‘exceptional player’ just over a year ago. (via [City Xtra](https://twitter.com/City_Xtra/status/1465005788418744324?s=20&t=GpotfKQXoe8kFlVh_UkeNg))

However, the [same tweet](https://twitter.com/Matt_Law_DT/status/1410134779664777216?s=20&t=nONohuo08HjwDNLAbzMEAQ) from Law also hails Phillips, and while the 27-year-old has not yet had the chance to truly prove himself with City due to injury issues – with a shoulder injury ruling him out for [11](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/kalvin-phillips/verletzungen/spieler/351749) games – he still has a lot to offer, so Guardiola should only use him in a swap deal if the price is reduced significantly.