declan rice. his reading of the game is top class. future captain material as well.
Just signed a new contract till 2024, so it's going to be expensive. Maybe West Ham offered the contract with a view to ensuring bigger bids in the Summer. Who knows?
In any case, Rice would he'd be perfect as a counterweight to Pogba and Hererra/Fred/Pereira/Gomes attacking drives. Not to mention the fullbacks getting forward. If we had more defensively aware midfielders, you could perhaps make a case for a different kind of DLP. But given the makeup of the squad, a bona fide holding player is the only sensible option.
He's also good enough in the air to cover for the aerial deficiencies we seem to have. It's the main reason that Matic and Fellaini still get so many minutes. It gives the manager a lot more tactical flexibility.
Excellent technically, too.
Too bad we don't still have Tevez, Di Maria and Chicharito. Then the we could fielded jerk chicken, rice and pea.