According to a recent report by the Sun, Manchester City are eyeing a summer move to secure the services of Declan Rice from West Ham United. The same source has also claimed that Pep Guardiola is on the lookout for a replacement for Fernandinho and has identified Rice as an ideal candidate to fill the shoes of the Brazilian midfielder at the Etihad Stadium. The Sun has also revealed that the Hammers talent would cost around £70m during the summer transfer period.
Rice has managed to establish himself as a regular starter under Manuel Pellegrini this season and has already made the defensive midfield position his own at the London Stadium. He is widely regarded as one of the most promising young talents in the Premier League and has a very promising career ahead in English football.
The 20-year-old has put in some commanding displays in midfield for the East London outfit during this campaign which has helped West Ham climb up to the 10th position of the league standings. The former Chelsea youth prodigy has made 27 appearances for the Hammers this term, scoring one goal while grabbing one assist across all competitions.
He has also earned three international caps for the Republic of Ireland national team but has now switched his international loyalties to England. So we can expect him to feature for Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions side soon enough and play an integral part for them over the next few years.
Rice is a defensive beast who operates in a deeper role in midfield. He can make timely interceptions and is also not afraid to play the ball out from the back. He will be a good fit for Pep Guardiola’s brand of football at the Etihad Stadium, and at 20, the Hammers midfielder still has a lot of time to develop and improve his game even more.
The London born talent will be the perfect candidate to replace Fernandinho who is currently playing in the twilight years of his football career. Rice is not fazed by pressure and might go that extra mile for Man City if the club is willing to believe in his ability and take a chance on him next summer.
Moreover, he will not only play an integral role in Guardiola’s midfield, but his versatility of playing in multiple positions means that he could be moved around like a chess piece if the Citizens decide to alter things tactically during a game or if Guardiola uses him as a cover for injured players in other positions. Hence, the acquisition of Rice will be a shrewd move for Man City which is why the club should go all out to secure his services in the summer.
