According to transfer insider Dean Jones, it would ‘change everything’ at Manchester United if the club were able to secure the signing of West Ham star Declan Rice this summer.
The Lowdown: United changes imminent
The Red Devils will now miss out on a top-four finish and a place in the Champions League next season following a number of disappointing results under both former manager Ole Gunner Solskjaer and his temporary replacement Ralf Rangnick.
With the arrival of new permanent boss Erik ten Hag imminent though, it appears that plenty of changes are expected to take place at Old Trafford as the Dutchman looks to build his own squad ahead of the start of the 2022/23 campaign.
In a report by ESPN, it’s claimed that a new central midfielder has been identified as a key area for improvement by the hierarchy, and after being consistently linked with Rice in recent weeks, United could well be tempted to make a move for the maestro.
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The Latest: Jones backs Rice move
Despite being wary of financial demands, Jones has admitted that he thinks the 23-year-old could be the perfect candidate to transform the club’s current problems. He told GiveMeSport:
“They’ve got to be careful about the budget because they don’t have hundreds of millions to just go and spend.
“Declan Rice, for me, is the one that would change everything. I think that he wants to move, he’s ambitious, he’s young, and he would be a leader.”
The Verdict: Standout performer
The 29-cap international is a huge fan favourite at the London Stadium and it’s no surprise to see why, considering he’s made 193 senior club appearances in all competitions so far, scoring ten goals and registering nine assists during that time, as per Transfermarkt.
Rice, who was once hailed as a “superb” player by Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard, currently averages 2.1 tackles per Premier League game and has a pass success rate of 91.6%, via WhoScored, displaying both fighting spirit and an ability to control a game from the middle of the park.
The Kingston-born talent is clearly admired by David Moyes, who is said to have valued his star man at more than a staggering £150m, but whether this is a fee that United would be willing to pay or not, his services on the field are something that would definitely be seen as an upgrade, should ten Hag pursuit his highly sought-after transfer target.