David Moyes has given the strongest indication yet that Declan Rice will leave West Ham this summer.
Speaking after the Hammers’ 1-1 draw with Newcastle, a game in which Rice excelled, Moyes said:
“It’s interesting, Declan is certainly going to be a great player and certainly a British transfer record if he ever leaves West Ham. It will be a British transfer record and more.
“You should not [ask how much that will be]not when you look at what you can buy for £85m or £90m these days, so…” What made the comments more interesting was that, as The Telegraph points out, “The Scotsman was not asked about the Rice’s departure or how much it was worth, he volunteered it.”
The question for Manchester United fans is whether their club will join the fight for England’s man, or indeed should.
It seems almost inevitable that the 24-year-old will stay in the Premier League, with Real Madrid more focused on the likes of Jude Bellingham for their midfield. Chelsea has been touted as his preferred destination, but that may be more complicated.
Todd Boehly’s runaway spending at Stamford Bridge, coupled with a lack of success on the pitch, is starting to paint a picture of a very unstable environment in west London.
If the Blues fail to qualify for the Champions League this season, which seems highly possible, it will be a deterrent for a player who wants to prove himself at the highest level.
Liverpool are also in a state of flux and it seems unlikely that they will qualify for Europe’s elite tournament.
Arsenal are interested too, but their owners are more circumspect than Boehly when it comes to splurging money and might balk at the kind of fee the Hammers will demand.
So depending on United’s financial situation in June, they may have new owners or at least some new investment, they could find themselves with a very good chance of signing Rice if they had qualified for the Champions League themselves.
But would Ten Hag allocate that kind of money to a position where he already has one of the best in the world in Casemiro? Would these two belong to the same midfield or would it be a case of one or the other? That alone is a topic for a whole tactical analysis report, but suffice to say, he would make a formidable midfield if he could find enough creativity within it.
What happens will probably depend on the issue of ownership. If United are backed by some mega-rich person or entity, it makes a lot of sense to go with a world-class midfielder like Rice without having to compromise in other departments. It also prevents it from falling into the hands of a top six opponent. But if Ten Hag is on a tight budget, £100m+ for a possible rotation option could be a luxury he can’t afford.
