Roland Cutinho
Manchester United planning a swoop in with a ‘player-plus-cash deal’ for Arsenal target Declan Rice
According to the Telegraph, Manchester United are planning to use Harry Maguire or Scott McTominay in a player-plus-cash deal to hijack Arsenal’s move for Declan Rice.
It’s no secret that the Red Devils are working on signing new midfield reinforcements. Hence, exploring all possible targets in the market is always a smart move. The club has now been linked with a move for West Ham captain Rice.
As stated by Sky Sports, Arsenal are already ahead in the race to sign the defensive midfielder, and they have tabled an opening bid that was deemed low by West Ham.
A new bid is expected in the upcoming days. However, David Moyes’s side are holding out on a fee of around £120 million for their star player.
Man United have been keeping tabs on the former Chelsea academy graduate for the past few years. He is a consistent performer and has made a name for himself in the Premier League.
However, due to limited funds, placing a huge bid like Arsenal’s seems highly unlikely. They are already pursuing a move for Mason Mount in the region for close to £60-70m. Although Chelsea wants more, United are working to seal the deal for a lesser price.
Hence, the only way they could create trouble for the Gunners is through a swap deal with either Maguire or McTominay.
The former has been linked with a move to West Ham before. The United captain has also fallen through the defensive order at United. He has two years left on his contract, but the Daily Mail has stated that the club is ready to offer him compensation and let him leave this summer.
Meanwhile, McTominay could be used in the exchange deal, as David Moyes has expressed interest in the player. The Scottish midfielder has also been in and out of the starting XI under Ten Hag.
West Ham chairman David Sullivan recently revealed that the club would not create any hindrance for Rice to move. But any club should meet their asking price. Arsenal are close since they want to replace Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka. The player is also keen on moving to the Emirates Stadium.
Simply put, Rice is a player who is ready to step into the starting XI and improve any team. At United, he may have to settle for a place on the bench and swap places with Casemiro. The player would not be in favor of that.
Although this could be a great deal for United on paper, it’s a win-lose situation for West Ham fans. The Red Devils could be able to offload their player only to let the Hammers have their second-string player as a replacement for their club captain.
Also, it’s unsure whether Maguire or McTominay would be ready to cut short their contracts and take the compensation to leave. It would be interesting to see whether United’s latest interest sparks an instant reaction from Arsenal.
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We believe that this transfer saga still has a long way to go, and the fans would be excited to know how the entire story unfolds in the upcoming weeks.
