Krishnan Sreekumar
Andy Cole tells Manchester United to sign Borussia Dortmund starlet Jude Bellingham instead of Declan Rice
Speaking to Sky Sports (h/t Daily Mail), former Manchester United ace Andy Cole urged his old club to go after Borussia Dortmund starlet Jude Bellingham instead of West Ham United star Declan Rice, with the Red Devils chasing a midfield target in the summer.
The Manchester side are preparing to add a new midfielder to their squad at the end of the campaign to tighten up performances in the middle of the pitch, after unconvincing and poor displays from their current options this season.
Cole, who won 5 Premier League titles with United, said that Rice’s valuation at £150m is far too much for a holding midfield player, and was unsure how many goals he could score for the team from that position.
“£150m for a holding midfield player? That’s a lot of money. Not sure how many goals he’s going to get you from that position.”
The 23-year-old has been arguably West Ham’s best player over the past couple of years, with the Englishman driving the Hammers up the pitch as well as providing support to his defenders. His qualities are something that we are missing from our squad, which explains our interest in him.
“Who would you spend your £150m on?”
Cole, however, suggested that United ignore Rice and go after Bellingham instead. The 18-year-old has been a revelation in the Bundesliga, taking control of the Dortmund midfield and running the show despite his age and lack of prior top-flight experience.
The former striker said that if an opportunity came along in the summer where the two England internationals were available, then the massive transfer amount to be spent on Rice would be better utilised by signing Bellingham.
“We were just talking, if the opportunity comes about when Rice is available in the summer and you had Bellingham come available, who would you spend your £150m on?”
There is no doubt that both midfield targets are an upgrade on our current midfielders in the squad, where Fred and Scott McTominay are the current first-choice picks, playing in a pivot. Neither player has shown they can handle the responsibility of playing on the big stage week in, week out, which has played a part in costing us games against stronger opposition.
Our only natural holding midfielder is Nemanja Matic, but at 33, it is not known how much longer he will remain at the club or contribute in a meaningful manner. His age seems to have caught up with him, as he no longer looks like the midfield enforcer he once was at Chelsea.
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Paul Pogba presents us with another option, but with the Frenchman running down his current deal with the club in the summer, he could depart for free in the summer. Donny van de Beek may be available when he returns from his loan spell at the end of the season, but given his limited game time in Manchester, it is unclear if he wants to continue his career at Old Trafford.
Between Rice and Bellingham, whoever we manage to snap up ahead of the new campaign would prove to be a major addition to our squad. The price tag for Rice is certainly hefty, but with Premier League experience under his belt, perhaps it may be worth the price if the club hierarchy views him as a long-term investment for the future. United fans can only hope that we sign at least one of these players to bolster our midfield.
