Declan Rice | Switches international allegiance to England four years ago

[red woppit]

A straight £100m cash will be a bit over the top but a £50m bid with a couple of our dead wood chucked in might be worth it in terms of securing a great young player and clearing the decks at the same time.

Was thinking similar. Could also have many add ons? So much after a number of prem games, international apprearances.

 

[Eckers99]

I said this in part desperation in Jan, but I wonder if West Ham would consider a swap deal involving Lukaku?

The future if Arnie is uncertain and the rest of their strikers are not up to it. While Lukkaku could be a top player for them

It's a nice thought but these deals rarely happen do they?

Young players careers can be very hard to predict but he looks like a genuinely top player to me. His reading of the game, composure, strength could see him commanding a place at a top side (at either CB or DM) for a good 10 years. I'd go all-in.

 

[sullydnl]

I said this in part desperation in Jan, but I wonder if West Ham would consider a swap deal involving Lukaku?

The future if Arnie is uncertain and the rest of their strikers are not up to it. While Lukkaku could be a top player for them

Why on earth would Lukaku agree to go to West Ham?

 

[red woppit]

Why on earth would Lukaku go to West Ham?

If he wasn't getting a game at OT?

 

[sullydnl]

If he wasn't getting a game at OT?

If he's not getting a game under Solskjaer he can wait to see who the new manager is. If he doesn't think the new manager will play him either (or if the new manager is Solskjaer) he can go to one of many, many bigger European clubs than West Ham.

 

[SilentWitness]

Why on earth would Lukaku agree to go to West Ham?

Indeed. He’d be a 1 in 3 striker rather than a 1 in 2.

 

[Bola]

It's a nice thought but these deals rarely happen do they?

Young players careers can be very hard to predict but he looks like a genuinely top player to me. His reading of the game, composure, strength could see him commanding a place at a top side (at either CB or DM) for a good 10 years. I'd go all-in.

Wishful thinking on my part.

I agree with your 2nd para, could be a great signing for us. Herrera and Matic have limited time at the club left, while our back up options are not particularly bright.

 

[Bola]

Why on earth would Lukaku agree to go to West Ham?

If he stays a bench warmer (at best), then he would want to leave. Can't see another top 6 club taking him at the moment and there are only a handful if European clubs who could afford him.

Could be a superstar at West Ham, who are a club with ambitions and good potential to be a good European side. That realistically is his level, unless something changes.

 

[Escape Goat]

Let’s hope he doesn’t end up being the Jasmine Jermaine Jenas.

Or the Djasmine Djemba Djemba.

 

[Oldham]

I was very impressed yesterday. Broke up so many Pool attacks and got the ball forward very well to the attacking players...

 

[Vanya]

I will continue to withhold judgement as to whether he will be the next 'Busquets' (who makes this stuff up...), as I have seen so, so, so, so, so many young players given these titles and expectations before they have really shown a degree of consistency. The reactive nature of punditry is actually not great for football.

Last night, he played very, very, well... I was impressed and I think he will continue to develop under a very good and experienced manager. He would add to our squad, and he would create competition, for Matic, Herrera.. Fred and McTominay need to look after their own games, because they simply do not cut it right now, and this is causing a headache for Ole.

What I want to see, are young midfielders who want to drive forward and power through games. Harry Winks, Lallana, Dier, Henderson... all ok players, hit the odd great pass etc.. but they are so boring. I worry that Declan Rice may become like these guys ... What happened to the midfielders who want to really dictate a game.. Ince, Keane, Viera, Gerrard, Scholes, ... Pogba has shown signs, and when he does this, he looks like he is playing a different game to those around him. This is why Kante made such an impact from a deep lying role.. he took the game away from the opposition, pushed his team on... I think we all like the Jorginho, Fernandino etc.. they play a tremendous role, and I suppose it is about preference, game-style (to a degree..) and opinion. But I always am a little wary of midfielders who just 'sit'. You have to do more. Should do more.

But a midfielder that can take a game and drive his team on, hit tackles, score goals.. pass.. seems like it's a lost art.

Fernandinho doesnt just sit, he does a lot more. He passes the ball really well, gets forward if needed and at times does the job of two people in the middle. We would be lucky to have such a player.

Having said that, I completely agree with what you've written. Its spot on. We need a different quality of midfielder, a player whos proactive with the ball.

One cant really say (because its still early days) if Rice would be that kind of a player. It remains to be seen if he can perform with the ball if the opposition was siting and he had to create opportunities for his teammates.

At the moment we need two CMs - a 6 and an 8, but both need to be ball playing players rather than the new breed of CMs that shift the ball from side to side, are work-horses, never stop running and mainly just stop the other side from playing.

 

[shamans]

Sign up the Biryani!

 

[red woppit]

If he's not getting a game under Solskjaer he can wait to see who the new manager is. If he doesn't think the new manager will play him either (or if the new manager is Solskjaer) he can go to one of many, many bigger European clubs than West Ham.

Not sure how many bigger European clubs would want him at the moment? Certainly needs to improve his game for anyone to be interested I think.

 

[crossy1686]

We should wait and see how he develops over the next couple of seasons and see how he performs for his national team, ala Rio.

We're not in any rush to get lumbered with a player we can't shift for years because we were scared of losing out. All English players know you want to play for United if they come calling.

 

[RochaRoja]

All English players know you want to play for United if they come calling.

In the Fergie years maybe but nowadays not so much.

 

[Seven Seas Sardines]

If he's not getting a game under Solskjaer he can wait to see who the new manager is. If he doesn't think the new manager will play him either (or if the new manager is Solskjaer) he can go to one of many, many bigger European clubs than West Ham.

Genoa? Alaves?

 

[Aloysius's Back 3]

I really like this guy & I worry that he has fernandinho replacement written all over him.

I hope we get there first.

 

[RochaRoja]

The better he gets, the less attractive an option Ireland looks to be for him.

A few months ago, Ireland could’ve sold him first team football and the potential of the captaincy and winning 100 caps in the long term. Right now he’d walk into the England team as a 20 year old and looks like a future England captain.

He’s been very smart to take his time over this.

 

[SadlerMUFC]

Matic, although rejuvinated under Ole, isnt getting any younger and at 30, will need replacing in the next season or so.

Declan Rice has been getting rave reviews since being moved to the holding midfield position and his peformances have warranted them.

Could potentially be a long term replacememt for Matic.

What do you think?

If there is one thing that I have learned in my time here at the CAF, it's that you can't name a player who plays for a shitty team and suggest that he become a United player. We love to underrate players from shitty teams. Instead, we must wait for another big-ish club to sign him first, and then we must make an offer that is 5 times what we could have gotten him for before he went to that club. Remember, it's not about noticing their talent. It's all about spending big money, because if they don't cost at least 50m, then they aren't United quality to begin with...

 

[amolbhatia50k]

If there is one thing that I have learned in my time here at the CAF, it's that you can't name a player who plays for a shitty team and suggest that he become a United player. We love to underrate players from shitty teams. Instead, we must wait for another big-ish club to sign him first, and then we must make an offer that is 5 times what we could have gotten him for before he went to that club. Remember, it's not about noticing their talent. It's all about spending big money, because if they don't cost at least 50m, then they aren't United quality to begin with...

Too true. We feel it's beneath us to go after players who aren't already top class. Same with managers really. People forget our long history and tradition of making stars rather than buying them.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

I'm reading comparisons to Matic here. Is his passing more Matic or Carrick? Or is better in tight spaces like Fernandinho?

 

[Canucantona20]

The better he gets, the less attractive an option Ireland looks to be for him.

A few months ago, Ireland could’ve sold him first team football and the potential of the captaincy and winning 100 caps in the long term. Right now he’d walk into the England team as a 20 year old and looks like a future England captain.

He’s been very smart to take his time over this.

England need a player like Rice badly, Southgate should do his best to get him

 

[Keeps It tidy]

I think you guys might be jumping the gun on this player.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

From the clips I've seen he looks a beast of a DM in the making. However would have to see much more him and his quality on the ball to determine how high a level he can reach particularly at a big club. At the top level your team tends to dominate possession and hence you have to add quality with your ability on the ball and mobility especially in the modern game.

 

[crossy1686]

In the Fergie years maybe but nowadays not so much.

We might not guarantee trophies like we used to but he will have grown up watching United win trophies year on year and everyone saying United are the biggest cub in the world. I reckon we have first pick on most of the young British/Irish lads for the next few years at least.

Isn't Jaydon Sancho a United fan also?

 

[POF]

England need a player like Rice badly, Southgate should do his best to get him

I agree but Southgate sees him as a centre back apparently.

 

[SilentWitness]

I agree but Southgate sees him as a centre back apparently.

I reckon that will change now. The best thing about the Southgate tenure is that for the most part he doesn't pick by name or reputation and the classic positions/tactics we are used to seeing from England. He will watch the player for their club and do his best to fit them into the side in the positions they've played best in.

 

[Giggsyking]

If we’re using a three man midfield then there’s still room for a playmaker next to Pogba with someone like Rice shielding.

all three midfielders must be super at passing the ball.

 

[POF]

I reckon that will change now. The best thing about the Southgate tenure is that for the most part he doesn't pick by name or reputation and the classic positions/tactics we are used to seeing from England. He will watch the player for their club and do his best to fit them into the side in the positions they've played best in.

That was only a couple of weeks ago. He's been trying to poach him for almost 12 months. You'd hope he'd have watched a few of his games.

 

[cyberman]

The better he gets, the less attractive an option Ireland looks to be for him.

A few months ago, Ireland could’ve sold him first team football and the potential of the captaincy and winning 100 caps in the long term. Right now he’d walk into the England team as a 20 year old and looks like a future England captain.

He’s been very smart to take his time over this.

Thats not how Ireland would get him.
Its not a club move ffs. If he feels loyal to Ireland he will stay.

 

[LuisNaniencia]

I think you guys might be jumping the gun on this player.

Not so sure. For a 20 year old he looks the real deal. He was the difference in both the Arsenal and Liverpool games in a very average West Ham team.

 

[JohnnyLaw]

all three midfielders must be super at passing the ball.

Don’t know if you’re being sarcastic or not but if not, why?

Casemiro isn’t a super passer of the ball for example, that didn’t stop Madrid from winning three CLs on the trot.
Liverpool hasn’t got a single one in their set-up, still they’re top of the league and reached the finals of the CL last year.

 

[RochaRoja]

Thats not how Ireland would get him.
Its not a club move ffs. If he feels loyal to Ireland he will stay.

If it was that simple he would simply have made his choice and not spent six months deliberating over it.

 

[cyberman]

If it was that simple he would simply have made his choice and not spent six months deliberating over it.

Exactly my point?

 

[RochaRoja]

If it was better for his career to play for Ireland, he would’ve done. Nothing to do with any feeling of loyalty or patriotism.

It’s naive to think otherwise.

 

[Damien]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

Has declared for England @CrackersJr

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Awesome timing for Irish fans of Manchester United. fecking yay.

 

[BobbyManc]

Good lad. Hope he gets some chances in the side ahead of Dier now.

 

[Samid]

Why didn't Ireland use him in Nations League? Losers.

 

[Raees]

Get in. No offence to Irish fans but a talent like him needs to be playing for England to do him self justice... also we are crying out for a CM so he’ll be indisputable first choice.