Manchester United are investigating a future move for Declan Rice after West Ham rejected their recent enquiry, according to the Independent.
The online outlet claim that the England international believes it is not the right time to make the move to Old Trafford after impressing for the Hammers in previous seasons.
The Independent report that people close to Rice don’t want to put the 20-year-old into that sort of environment at this stage of his career.
Manchester United were reported by the Sun to have enquired about Rice, with the national newspaper claiming an offer of £80million could tempt the Hammers.
Rice excelled in the heart of Manuel Pellegrini’s midfield this season, making the most tackles in each outing this season, with an impressive average of 2.9 challenges per game. [WhoScored]
OPINION
This is news all West Ham fans will be delighted to see. The news comes as a double-edged sword in many ways though, with Rice reportedly confirming he will remain with the Hammers being joined by the news that Manchester United have not dropped their interest and will plot another move for the 20-year-old in the future. The England international has enjoyed his best season yet in this West Ham side and has become a mainstay in midfield next to skipper Mark Noble. His importance is undeniable, alongside making the most tackles on average per game, Rice also averages the most amount of interceptions each game compared to his fellow midfield players (1.5). With added exposure to the national team under Gareth Southgate, and consistent Premier League minutes under Manuel Pellegrini, Rice is only going to get better – which could see that reported £80million figure rise quite significantly in the modern-day market.
