In a recent report, Manchester Evening News revealed that West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice is open to joining Manchester United this summer. However, it is believed that the Red Devils could find it difficult to match the Hammers’ £100m valuation of the England international during this summer transfer window (via Manchester Evening News).
Rice’s Solid Season At The London Stadium
Rice enjoyed another impressive campaign with the East London outfit as he managed to put in some influential displays for them at the centre of the park. The English sensation featured in 35 matches for David Moyes’ side last season, registering two goals, one assist and two yellow cards in all competitions.
The 22-year-old did a bit of everything in midfield after he averaged 1.8 tackles, 1.8 interceptions, 1.1 clearances, 0.8 shots, 0.7 key passes and 0.9 dribbles per game in the Premier League. He even distributed the ball with care based on his pass completion rate of 88% in the English top-flight (stats via whoscored).
Rice has done well to take his good form from club football to the UEFA European Championships where he has caught the eye while representing England recently. The West Ham youngster has already established himself as a consistent performer in English football, so he will be a massive coup for Man United if they can find a way to get him on board in this off-season.
Is Rice The Right Choice For Man United This Summer?
Rice is a tireless worker both on and off the ball and has got good defensive awareness that helps him snuff out the danger quickly at the back. He is proficient at disrupting the opposition’s flow in the game and can make a few crucial interceptions for his team.
The Three Lions star doesn’t take too many chances with his clearances and can keep possession moving with ease and grace in the opposition half. However, he can benefit from adding a few more goals and assists in his game if he intends to someday be a world-class two-way midfielder.
The way Rice has been playing of late, he won’t have any trouble setting into Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s playing style at Old Trafford if Man United can convince West Ham to sell their prized asset during this summer transfer window. He will add a lot of bite and steel to the Red Devils midfield and could potentially put them ahead of Manchester City in the Premier League title race next season. Therefore, the 21-time England international will be an excellent choice for the Mancunian giants to consider this summer, but only if Solskjaer has enough funds to pull off such a transfer.
