PRO – He Could Be Replaced By Another Promising Youngster
Conor Coventry is another holding midfielder who is very highly rated by the club’s academy staff. He signed a new contract last month and went out on loan to League One side Lincoln City.
The 19-year-old has caps for the Republic of Ireland at Under 21 level, and while he may not be ready for the Premier League quite yet, the departure of Rice could give him more opportunities to feature for the first team.