Manchester United are set to battle Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea for England’s World Cup star Declan Rice.
That is according to Spanish outlet El Nacional, who claim that Carlo Ancelotti has spent the last year asking Madrid president Florentino Perez to sign the midfielder.
While the La Liga giants opted to sign Aurelien Tchouameni in the summer instead, the report claims that Ancelotti is determined to land Rice to add to his already impressive midfield options.
El Nacional also reports that Chelsea – long-time admirers of the West Ham United player – are determined to land Rice.
With Rice supposedly “very unhappy” in East London due to West Ham’s poor start to the campaign under David Moyes, a move looks likely.
The Red Devils are also keen on Rice despite having signed Casemiro to play the defensive midfield role at Old Trafford in the summer.
Rice’s evolution into more of a box-to-box midfielder could make him a fine addition to Erik ten Hag’s squad.
While Christian Eriksen has impressed alongside Casemiro with his ability to function as a playmaker in deep positions, the Dane’s match load has been incredibly high, with United lacking suitable alternatives in the position.
In difficult away games Rice could potentially offer Ten Hag more steel in the centre of the park, helping United to win the midfield battles that often decide Premier League encounters.
Often playing as more of an anchor on the international stage, he would also bring versatility to the squad.
A stumbling block for all parties involved, however, is West Ham’s asking price.
Even though his contract expires in 2024, it is thought that the Hammers would not entertain any offers below the €100m mark.
With United in desperate need of reinforcements in attacking areas, such an outlay could be a bridge too far for the club at this time.
