Two Pros (And Three Cons) To Selling Declan Rice Amid Reports Of £54m United Swoop

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4 years ago

Tags: David Moyes, Declan Rice, Manchester United, West Ham

Manchester United are in negotiations to sign West Ham midfielder Declan Rice for €65m (£54m), according to TodoFichajes.com. The Spanish website claims that talks are “very advanced” between the two parties.

Although it is probably best to treat this report with a great deal of scepticism, there are more reliable sources suggesting that the Hammers have indeed set a price tag of around £90m for the 21-year-old.

Manager David Moyes has also hinted that the money from Rice’s sale could help reshape the squad, but he also emphasised the player’s importance to the club’s future.

Press the “next page” as we assess the positives and negatives to offloading the England international.

CON – He Is The Future of West Ham

Rice could play for the Irons for the next ten to fifteen years, much like Mark Noble has done. He would be the natural successor to the 32-year-old as club captain.

Players who come through the youth system have been rare in recent years and having someone who knows what it means to play for the club is of vital importance to encourage unity within the squad and among supporters.

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.

CON – Rice Has The Potential To Become A World-Class Player

Despite only being in West Ham’s first team for the past 18 months, Rice has already established himself as a key player in the middle of the park, even though he started life out as a centre-back.

Such talent does not come along very often and there is every chance he could develop into a top player over the next few years.

PRO – The Money From His Sale Could Transform The Squad

As David Moyes has already alluded too, the revenue from Rice’s sale could be reinvested into improving the team.

You only have to look at how Liverpool used the £142m from Philippe Coutinho’s sale, to buy Virgil van Dijk and Alisson, to see how this approach can be a success.

CON – The Money Won’t Be Put To Good Use

The big question mark, though, is whether the current ownership could be trusted to reinvest the whole amount from Rice’s sale.

On top of that, you also have to consider whether the current management team would use the money wisely. West Ham have not spent particularly well in recent years and there has to be a concern that any proceeds from Rice being sold would be squandered.