Declan Rice

[largelyworried]

Rice's problem is really the price tag. The English tax is adding £30M or so to his price. When you see a player like Bissouma supposedly valued at £40-50M its hard to see the value in Rice at nearly double the cost.

Which is a shame, because I think he's a decent player and at £40-50M would be worth getting. He isn't flawless, but who is? Its not like attacking midfield where there's tonnes of talent out there. There are lots of DMs but they all have flaws in their game. And we certainly need a DM, way more than we need another box to boxer. But at that price we'd be better off shopping elsewhere.

 

[Kostov]

Definitely not in my bumhole, although it certainly was an opinion that stunk of poo poo…
Fred for 50m is laughable, but you’d rather we go spunk 80 fecking million on Rice. What, the, holy, feck.

That means you were right I was obviously advocating for us to overpay and I apologise. My point was still none of them is worth the fees mentioned. However I’d still pay 30m more for Rice if I had a choice.

 

[Banana Republic]

People are getting far too blasé about transfer fees, thinking £30m or £40m is an average or low price.
Those are still astronomical sums of money, that shouldn’t be paid for just OK or less than stellar players
Far more talented players, right across the pitch are being bought on the continent for way, way less.
Rice still has a lot to prove before a sizeable price tag is put on him and by sizeable, I mean £30m - £40m, never mind the stupid numbers that have been bandied around.

 

[Idxomer]

His problem is he isn't good enough for a top club, not as a central midfielder anyway.

Maybe he'll improve but his technique and his hand positioning will always limit him.

 

[Borys]

Imagine if England had a manager who wouldn't play Rice in midfield and we splashed 70m for him thinking he would transform us.

 

[Ledom]

He is a solid player, young and clearly Southgate sees worth in him. The players around him seem to link up well enough with him and whilst he does have his limits I can understand the reason we are linked. 80m does seem like an astonishing price for him but honestly in today's game, money is like water, everyone has it and nobody is going to be persuaded that a thimble full is enough when they know the person they're dealing with has a tap of the stuff.

 

[Andersonson]

His problem is he isn't good enough for a top club, not as a central midfielder anyway.

Maybe he'll improve but his technique and his hand positioning will always limit him.

His technique is maybe the best in the league in his position. Look at his freestyles videos.

It's more vision and impact, but he is still young

 

[Highfather_24]

his hand positioning

What???

 

[Ranchero]

Tbf he's pretty good defensively imo. But of course that's not enough, especially for the big clubs.

Then he should be a central defender.

 

[meninred]

Has anyone compared him to Michael Carrick ?

 

[Strelok]

Then he should be a central defender.

He was a CB in his young years. Don't know why he's moved up to the midfield but imo he'd be a pretty good CB.

 

[Ranchero]

He was a CB in his young years. Don't know why he's moved up to the midfield but imo he'd be a pretty good CB.

He reminds me of Eric Dier another one of those players with a lot of hype around him and who eventually has been found out.

 

[arnie_ni]

Exactly

I'd argue he's even worse off the ball when we're in possession. That half position he takes up between Shaw and Maguire is fecking infuriating. He's hiding away from getting the ball in the middle of the pitch.

Mentioned this in the match thread. He picks up positions in possession tbat maguire routinely picks up for us. It actually means your playing a man down because he does what maguire does and maguire is just sitting idle.

 

[AltiUn]

I’ve a sneaking suspicion Henderson may start the final over him.

 

[Pearl.Jam]

He’s like those magic eye pages that were all the rage years ago..personally I see feck all when I watch him play..very underwhelming

 

[Strelok]

He reminds me of Eric Dier another one of those players with a lot of hype around him and who eventually has been found out.

Tbf he's better than Eric Dier imo, at least he's faster but both surely are not great footballer.

Agreed on the hype with Dier, I never got that tbh. Make me remember the days Jose was drooling all over him. Thank Lord we didn't buy him.

 

[Champagne Football]

England can win on Sunday if Rice pasta the ball forward well

 

[dal]

Should be looking at Phillips not rice.

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

I’m on Camavinga’s train. I don’t know who is this Rice guy, sorry. Wait in 2 years when his price drops to 50m.

 

[lysglimt]

As much as I like Rice - he will be too expensive. I dont mind us forking out £70-80 mil for Sancho who has something which is extremely hard to find - but there are probably 10 players who are at least the same level as Rice and cheaper.
If Camavinga is available for £30-40 mil - that is a gamble worth taking. Rice for £80 mil isn't a gamble, but it's just too expensive for a player of his quality.

 

[Ali Dia]

As much as I like Rice - he will be too expensive. I dont mind us forking out £70-80 mil for Sancho who has something which is extremely hard to find - but there are probably 10 players who are at least the same level as Rice and cheaper.
If Camavinga is available for £30-40 mil - that is a gamble worth taking. Rice for £80 mil isn't a gamble, but it's just too expensive for a player of his quality.

Yeah this is it. Just wait till his contract runs down a bit. Soften them up. Bayern style. He will eventually be got for 40/50 now his head has been turned and he’s probably buying into his own press (who wouldn’t) but it won’t be this summer so just leave it or let someone else overpay. He’ll want to play CL and will start pushing harder once the contract starts running down.

 

[OrcaFat]

Yeah this is it. Just wait till his contract runs down a bit. Soften them up. Bayern style. He will eventually be got for 40/50 now his head has been turned and he’s probably buying into his own press (who wouldn’t) but it won’t be this summer so just leave it or let someone else overpay. He’ll want to play CL and will start pushing harder once the contract starts running down.

Yeah this sounds right.

SAF would have bought Rice by now if it was still the good old days but in the modern world it’s not that simple. Much as it is inconvenient, we don’t have enough money to buy players at the peak of their value just now.

We’ll miss out on some good players but that’s ok as long as the squad (and first 11) is getting better every year.

 

[Abraxas]

Yeah this is it. Just wait till his contract runs down a bit. Soften them up. Bayern style. He will eventually be got for 40/50 now his head has been turned and he’s probably buying into his own press (who wouldn’t) but it won’t be this summer so just leave it or let someone else overpay. He’ll want to play CL and will start pushing harder once the contract starts running down.

Agreed.

There may be no rush on this one. It is hard to see how he's going to move this summer for these fees. To anybody, not just ourselves. Chelsea and City have some money but I still don't think they'd pay that even if interested.

Maybe I'm wrong but I think it's one we could revisit next year. Eventually the player may begin to make more noise around a potential move, maybe he's content to play another couple of years at West Ham. At the end of the day we are always going to be interested in top English talent, we don't necessarily have to get him in his early 20s, playing the long game may be the logical thing to do.

 

[Tomuś]

Has anyone compared him to Michael Carrick ?

I hope not.

 

[mitchmouse]

I’ve a sneaking suspicion Henderson may start the final over him.

not sure Henderson if (match) fit enough for 90 mins. I know he could be replaced at 70 but you pick the starting eleven to play the full game if possible

 

[mitchmouse]

Has anyone compared him to Michael Carrick ?

well over the years, lots of United fans said Carrick wasn't good enough for United and blamed him when things went wrong

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

well over the years, lots of United fans said Carrick wasn't good enough for United and blamed him when things went wrong

And that despite him being 10 times the player Rice is.

 

[OrcaFat]

And that despite him being 10 times the player Rice is.

Carrick was great at his best and certainly better than Rice is now. Not sure why you have to bring the hyperbole.

Keep in mind Carrick was not as good at 22 as he later became. Keep in mind that Carrick on an off day was as bad as Rice has ever been.

Still, I don’t think you’ll find anyone on here arguing that Rice of today is anywhere close to peak Carrick.

 

[jesperjaap]

Rice is a good young English defensive midfielder with premiership experience, leadership and a very good attitude. He ticks a lot of boxes......but just to put it out there with rumoured potential fees

Rice (£90m) = Pogba (£50m) + Camavinga (£25m) + Kamara (£15m)

He costs us much this summer as one of our most talented players dividing opinion on staying leaving, one of the most talented teenagers in Europ dividing opinion as he is 18 and one of the best young defenive midfielders in France that there own club apparently are struggling to sell which is a big surprise....or for peopl ewho dont know them well, he costs as much as Varane AND Bissouma this window.

We could potentially buy Romagnoli - Camavinga - Kamara - Sulemana - Hlozek - Talented players for every position this summer isntead of RIce

NOt saying any of these are the right option or that Rice as a player is the wrong option. The big thing is simply the money for Rice even more so than normal due to so many low fees this summer West Ham want for Rice, is the price you pay for a player that is a huge difference maker and already or potentially on there way to becoming one of the worlds best in that position. Rice is a lot better than people are giving him credit for in my opinion.....but he isnt the next Keane, Robson or Ince that do fit that bill we have paid huge fees for at the time and an understandable argument he isnt better now or longer term than many other midfielders that would cost from 20% of his price upwards

 

[Matthew84!]

The price is obviously the sticking point for alot of people. Why not give them DVB and money?
People saying oh let's sign Phillips, give your head a wobble, he plays for Leeds and they have no need to sell.
Oh lets sign Camavinga, probably going to cost 35m, yes he's cheaper but he's never played in the Premier league and will probably take a few seasons to settle in if at all.
Rice won't need time to settle in as he already played in the league and has already played with half the players for England.

We need players who will go straight into the first 11, not someone who might play but will be probably be better in 12months, who wants another Fred? Took 12 months just to get where he is now and thats not great.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Has anyone compared him to Michael Carrick ?

Only those who have taken far too many hallucinatory drugs combined copious amounts of cannabis...then watched daytime TV for days on end.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

The price is obviously the sticking point for alot of people. Why not give them DVB and money?

Why the feck would DVB agree to that?

People saying oh let's sign Phillips, give your head a wobble, he plays for Leeds and they have no need to sell.

What need do West Ham need to sell?

We need players who will go straight into the first 11, not someone who might play but will be probably be better in 12months, who wants another Fred? Took 12 months just to get where he is now and thats not great.

Fred’s better than Rice for a start, by a fair margin.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

The price is obviously the sticking point for alot of people. Why not give them DVB and money?
People saying oh let's sign Phillips, give your head a wobble, he plays for Leeds and they have no need to sell.
Oh lets sign Camavinga, probably going to cost 35m, yes he's cheaper but he's never played in the Premier league and will probably take a few seasons to settle in if at all.
Rice won't need time to settle in as he already played in the league and has already played with half the players for England.

We need players who will go straight into the first 11, not someone who might play but will be probably be better in 12months, who wants another Fred? Took 12 months just to get where he is now and thats not great.

Not a lot of people, just the ones who actually have the money. Oh and DVB is far better technically than Rice but they've no need for him as they play a far more physical game. Moyes' favours the Soucek type of midfielder.

There's no guarantee that Rice won't need time to settle, it really depends on what system he's required to play in. At the moment at WHU it's a low risk, he makes mistakes but it doesn't matter as their expectations of him will never be as high as it would be at Utd

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

There's no guarantee that Rice won't need time to settle, it really depends on what system he's required to play in. At the moment at WHU it's a low risk, he makes mistakes but it doesn't matter as their expectations of him will never be as high as it would be at Utd

Schneirderlin was a no brainer according to the caf, wouldn’t need time to settle, PL proven blah blah blah.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Schneirderlin was a no brainer according to the caf, wouldn’t need time to settle, PL proven blah blah blah.

Indeed. Yet we all seem to agree that Bellingham would walk into our team and take the PL by storm

 

[Sandikan]

People are getting far too blasé about transfer fees, thinking £30m or £40m is an average or low price.
Those are still astronomical sums of money, that shouldn’t be paid for just OK or less than stellar players
Far more talented players, right across the pitch are being bought on the continent for way, way less.
Rice still has a lot to prove before a sizeable price tag is put on him and by sizeable, I mean £30m - £40m, never mind the stupid numbers that have been bandied around.

Spot on.
You see it countless times where people just say we whould "pay what it takes" as it's "not my money" and such nonsense.
Ignoring that we tend to average about 60-80m net spend each summer, and thus 20m extra quickly diminishes the pot.

 

[Halftrack]

Schneirderlin was a no brainer according to the caf, wouldn’t need time to settle, PL proven blah blah blah.

He was, problem was the manager apparently wasn't really interested in him, or at least, the player he was. At Southampton he was a box-to-box player, not afraid of getting forward and taking risks. Him (and Herrera and Depay, and I think they've all spoken of it) was asked to alter his game, to play more conservatively and take less risks. In essence, take away half of his game and turn him into a run-of-the-mill workmanlike midfielder.

There's no guarantee that he would have succeeded under a different manager, but I'd think he'd have had an easier time of it under someone who actually wanted him.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

He was, problem was the manager apparently wasn't really interested in him, or at least, the player he was. At Southampton he was a box-to-box player, not afraid of getting forward and taking risks. Him (and Herrera and Depay, and I think they've all spoken of it) was asked to alter his game, to play more conservatively and take less risks. In essence, take away half of his game and turn him into a run-of-the-mill workmanlike midfielder.

There's no guarantee that he would have succeeded under a different manager, but I'd think he'd have had an easier time of it under someone who actually wanted him.

Everton wanted him, and he was wank. Safe to say he was simply not good enough.

 

[mitchmouse]

Rice is a good young English defensive midfielder with premiership experience, leadership and a very good attitude. He ticks a lot of boxes......but just to put it out there with rumoured potential fees

Rice (£90m) = Pogba (£50m) + Camavinga (£25m) + Kamara (£15m)

He costs us much this summer as one of our most talented players dividing opinion on staying leaving, one of the most talented teenagers in Europ dividing opinion as he is 18 and one of the best young defenive midfielders in France that there own club apparently are struggling to sell which is a big surprise....or for peopl ewho dont know them well, he costs as much as Varane AND Bissouma this window.

We could potentially buy Romagnoli - Camavinga - Kamara - Sulemana - Hlozek - Talented players for every position this summer isntead of RIce

NOt saying any of these are the right option or that Rice as a player is the wrong option. The big thing is simply the money for Rice even more so than normal due to so many low fees this summer West Ham want for Rice, is the price you pay for a player that is a huge difference maker and already or potentially on there way to becoming one of the worlds best in that position. Rice is a lot better than people are giving him credit for in my opinion.....but he isnt the next Keane, Robson or Ince that do fit that bill we have paid huge fees for at the time and an understandable argument he isnt better now or longer term than many other midfielders that would cost from 20% of his price upwards

I keeps see people here quoting £90m. where is that figure coming from? I'm not saying you are wrong but 1) I haven't seen it and 2) Is it just a made-up figure in the press?

 

[Murder on Zidane's Floor]

The guy seems very confused to be honest. Thinks Fred is the worst midfielder in the world but would happily play £80m for Rice who is even more limited

It's really odd. Might be some good old-fashioned British bias.

Fred's passing is Tom Hank to be fair but everything else he is great at.