Declan Rice

[Rooney1987]

I wonder how much Lingard changes things with this if we want him. Jesse been very impressive, Moyes rates him and he's gone down very well with the fans. He's 28 with with 1 year left you'd still hope to get 15mil maybe more.

 

[Bebestation]

Just a question -

People say he is not worth 80-100 million and say he is a player worth 40-50 million.

Would you be happy with 50 million + Lingard for Rice?

 

[Redlyn]

I’ll caveat this by saying I don’t think any player is worth 80m

The market is the market though. Ronaldo especially in hindsight even back then should have gone for more than 80m. I think real Madrid in hindsight also can see it was an absolutely bargain for the value he brought to the club and they even made money selling him on. How could he not have been worth it? Football is now big money business that is why the biggest assets also reflect that.

Rice is a good player but not the type you break the bank for I reckon.

 

[SATA]

Dull player. I think he’s more of a centreback

 

[CM]

Rice is not the one. His quality with the ball just isn't there. If anything summed that up it was the ball he ballooned behind late on against us when West Ham had a bit of licence to attack.

He might be alright as a destroyer but that isn't exactly what this team is missing and I certainly wouldn't want to see us dishing out the stupid figures being talked up for the privilege. Let's address the pressing concern with our midfield and get a creator in.

 

[Irwin99]

Have only seen him a few times and he's been decent in most of the games I've seen. Not sure he's a massive upgrade though and the English tax is always annoying.

Wonder if this might be one of those Jordan Henderson situations where people scoff at him for years before realizing he's actually pretty good (i'm guilty of that one to be fair)

 

[Infra-red]

He's alright, fine, OK, relatively recent. He'd cost double the price of players who are better than him or at least have a bigger upside. Not worth it.

 

[davidmichael]

Is he really much better than McT? Can’t our scouts find someone else than such an overpriced option?

It doesn’t matter if he’s a better player than McTominay or not as they’re DIFFERENT types of players, to put it into context it’d be like comparing lesser versions of Steven Gerrard and Nicky Butt.

I just don’t understand why people keep throwing McTominay into the conversation when McTominay is a box to box midfielder who has ball winning abilities but isn’t a defensive midfielder any more than he’s an attacking one or a 10 either, Rice on the other hand is a pure out and out defensive midfielder and does exactly what it says on the tin.

We don’t have anyone like Rice outside of Matic who I don’t think will find one person on here or in the world that believes Matic has the stamina or the legs to play alongside Fernandes and Pogba as that player who does all the dirty work in covering and simply shields the back four, Matic can barely do it for 1 in 3 games let alone every game when we need two attack minded midfielders to break down low block opposition.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

Just a question -

People say he is not worth 80-100 million and say he is a player worth 40-50 million.

Would you be happy with 50 million + Lingard for Rice?

Considering I'd have let Lingard go for as little as 8m, then if the manager and recruitment team think he's the player they want, yes.

 

[Dong Fangzhuo]

Would be like the Maguire/AWB signings, good player for world class money. Terrible way to build a squad unless you're backed by an oil state.

 

[Roboc7]

I think he’s a good player but he’d cost double what he’s worth and if he was paired with Fred or Mctominay we’d still have similar problems in midfield.

We’ve got to find solutions to some of the problems we have where the player doesn’t cost 70-80m or more because it’ll take us years to sign 3-4 players at that rate.

 

[AKDevil]

Hmmm. Still trying to fully get him. Ability to stay fit and defensive discipline big plusses. Issue with Fred and McTominay is neither is particularly good at anything and certainly not the best all round midfielders. At least Rice allows a team/midfield to have some defined roles and structure. Would be easier to find best midfield partner/s for him.

 

[Moiraine]

Hmmm. Still trying to fully get him. Ability to stay fit and defensive discipline big plusses. Issue with Fred and McTominay is neither is particularly good at anything and certainly not the best all round midfielders. At least allows a team to have some defined roles and structure. Would be easier to find best midfield partner/s for him.

Is he better than Fred?

 

[JoeyJoJoJrShabadoo]

Is he better than Fred?

Yeah a little

 

[dbs235]

Probably the first time he's impressed me in an England shirt, thought he had a good game.

 

[AKDevil]

Is he better than Fred?

I’d say so, yes. Certainly looks like he’d be easier to play alongside for his midfield partner and to get another more attack minded player alongside.

 

[andersj]

He will be a dominating midfielder for a top PL club for the next decade. We have been quite poor at brining in the most talented PL players the past decade (Mane, VvD, Mahrez, Kante etc) and I fear Rice will prove to be another one that we miss out on.

 

[Beachryan]

He will be a dominating midfielder for a top PL club for the next decade. We have been quite poor at brining in the most talented PL players the past decade (Mane, VvD, Mahrez, Kante etc) and I fear Rice will prove to be another one that we miss out on.

I agree, he's got something about him. He would be a genuinely system-changing signing for us, beacuse it would mean we wouldn't need 2 defensive midfielders.

Bit like Haaland last year, plays in a position we need, we could afford him, he'd want to come to us and thefore Ed et al will f*ck it up somehow.

 

[bosnian_red]

Is he better than Fred?

Depends what you ask them to do. Rice is far better as a defensive mid and is probably going to commit fewer turnovers than Fred does. He won't be outmuscled either, huge plus in the air, very good from a positional and ball winning POV that he would help balance out a midfield of Pogba and Bruno in front/around him. McTominay doesn't have the positional awareness or defensive mid mentality to hold the midfield behind those two, and Fred isn't good enough defensively.

If you're looking for a box to box midfielder, better dribbling, better front foot pressing, Fred is your guy. So next to McTominay, Fred is a better partner, while Rice is much better for Pogba or anyone like that.

 

[andersj]

I agree, he's got something about him. He would be a genuinely system-changing signing for us, beacuse it would mean we wouldn't need 2 defensive midfielders.

Bit like Haaland last year, plays in a position we need, we could afford him, he'd want to come to us and thefore Ed et al will f*ck it up somehow.

If I remember correctly, Roy Keane said that he is the player that remind him the most of himself. In my opinion, that is getting more and more accurate. And I think it will be even more so when he get to play for a better and more proactive team.

 

[Zlatattack]

Would he cost more than Ndidi? Is he better as a CDM than Ndidi?

 

[sullydnl]

A big PL club will buy him for a lot of money, people will say "he's a fine DM but they obviously overpaid for him", then he will stay with that club for 10 or so years and ultimately seem like a good investment over the long-run. Particularly if that club is well-run enough to build good teams around the structure he brings to the side.

He's certainly good enough to be part of a top side in that role. Whether he's the best value purchase you could make for that role or the most urgent use of money for a given team is a different matter.

 

[AKDevil]

Would he cost more than Ndidi? Is he better as a CDM than Ndidi?

this, I think, then depends what you want from that position. If you want someone who’s going to run around making tackles Ndidi might be better. Feel Rice is more of a disciplined holding midfielder ... a passing option for teammates, drops in between centre backs, intercepts more than tackles .

 

[Paxi]

Seems like a sound bloke too.

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

 

[Sultan]

United have other more pressing priorities. I personally think McTominay can do that role if coached correctly and with some experience.

 

[bosnian_red]

Would he cost more than Ndidi? Is he better as a CDM than Ndidi?

Ndidi is a much better defensive mid, Rice is more of a potential guy who is a solid defensive mid now but not in the same world as Ndidi. Also nothing different between them on the ball IMO. If Ndidi is possible he is 100% a dream signing as a defensive mid, but there's nothing to suggest he'd be a possible signing in any way. Rice is a possible signing but also someone who would likely be 80m, so probably not worth.

 

[Trex]

this, I think, then depends what you want from that position. If you want someone who’s going to run around making tackles Ndidi might be better. Feel Rice is more of a disciplined holding midfielder ... a passing option for teammates, drops in between centre backs, intercepts more than tackles .

Ndidi is never a run around player, he is a very dominant holding midfielder and a better player than Rice, this discussion wouldn't exist if Ndidi is English and Rice Nigerian.

 

[andersj]

If you're looking for a box to box midfielder, better dribbling, better front foot pressing, Fred is your guy. So next to McTominay, Fred is a better partner, while Rice is much better for Pogba or anyone like that.

I actually think both McTominay and Fred would look better next to Rice.

Also nothing different between them on the ball IMO.

I disagree. I think Rice is a lot more progressive. Statistic too suggest that there is quite a big difference in their contribution on the ball.

 

[cpresc]

Rice strikes me as natural leader which is very much something we lack. I think he would bring a lot of calm and composure to our back 4 which would have a multiplying effect on the whole team. Far more so than Fred could ever do

 

[Isotope]

Rice is better at playmaking than Ndidi. But maybe because Ndidi played with Tielemans who's the main playmaker, though.
Ndidi is better defensively.

 

[copen1945]

Hopefully, United would move forward with the Rice transfer. Then, there would be the most expensive defender, the most expensive box-to-box midfielder, and the most expensive holding midfielder in one starting eleven. Also, there is De Gea. That is a good spine. The transfer would be a clear indication that United are serious about winning the league.

 

[bond19821982]

I agree, he's got something about him. He would be a genuinely system-changing signing for us, beacuse it would mean we wouldn't need 2 defensive midfielders.

Bit like Haaland last year, plays in a position we need, we could afford him, he'd want to come to us and thefore Ed et al will f*ck it up somehow.

How exactly is Ed fecking up ? This thing always gets thrown at him but when was the last time he didn't sign someone because he thought we don't need him when we actually needed him ?

Halaand ? They always wanted to goto a small club first. If Rice doesn't come it could be because of his price and not his ability.

 

[golden_blunder]

If I remember correctly, Roy Keane said that he is the player that remind him the most of himself. In my opinion, that is getting more and more accurate. And I think it will be even more so when he get to play for a better and more proactive team.

I’ve said that the start, he’s the most likely to become close to what Keane was

 

[T00lsh3d]

A big PL club will buy him for a lot of money, people will say "he's a fine DM but they obviously overpaid for him", then he will stay with that club for 10 or so years and ultimately seem like a good investment over the long-run. Particularly if that club is well-run enough to build good teams around the structure he brings to the side.

He's certainly good enough to be part of a top side in that role. Whether he's the best value purchase you could make for that role or the most urgent use of money for a given team is a different matter.

You had to bring us back down to earth, didn’t you

 

[Bwuk]

I’ve said that the start, he’s the most likely to become close to what Keane was

Don’t think he’ll ever have Keanes aggression and passion. Not a trait you can learn easily either.

 

[golden_blunder]

Don’t think he’ll ever have Keanes aggression and passion. Not a trait you can learn easily either.

No, but he’s a born leader

 

[bosnian_red]

A big PL club will buy him for a lot of money, people will say "he's a fine DM but they obviously overpaid for him", then he will stay with that club for 10 or so years and ultimately seem like a good investment over the long-run. Particularly if that club is well-run enough to build good teams around the structure he brings to the side.

He's certainly good enough to be part of a top side in that role. Whether he's the best value purchase you could make for that role or the most urgent use of money for a given team is a different matter.

Pretty much this. He's a good player, but not "world class". He's at a great age but would cost loads. He'd also stay for 5-10 years. It's like Maguire. Nobody doubts that he was overpriced. He is still a good signing and a top defender though. Rice would turn into the same. Sometimes you just have to pay the premium.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

Pretty much this. He's a good player, but not "world class". He's at a great age but would cost loads. He'd also stay for 5-10 years. It's like Maguire. Nobody doubts that he was overpriced. He is still a good signing and a top defender though. Rice would turn into the same. Sometimes you just have to pay the premium.

some might say, a typical Fergie signing.

player with some experience, but good age, from the PL, making the step up. Think Fergie would be all over him.

 

[Pexbo]

some might say, a typical Fergie signing.

player with some experience, but good age, from the PL, making the step up. Think Fergie would be all over him.

Im not convinced Fergie would buy a midfielder

 

[Scholsey2004]

Im not convinced Fergie would buy a midfielder

Especially a purely defensive one. The last was Ince as far as i can remember and he was probably quite box to box.