With each passing transfer window, Declan Rice’s West Ham United departure seems to draw ever closer, with teams such as Arsenal and Manchester United circling. Sooner or later, it appears that the Hammers will need to find a replacement for the England international.

Should Rice leave the club, it will be an almighty blow to the Irons. However, they need not fear – there are plenty of players out there who could do Rice’s job in his absence.

While none of the players on this list can necessarily match the limitless qualities that Rice possesses, all of them are brilliant defensive midfielders with similar skill sets.