Manchester United are accelerating their summer transfer plans and hold an interest in signing West Ham captain Declan Rice.
Arsenal are reportedly willing to break their transfer record to pay £90million to West Ham and offer Rice £300,000-a-week. Rice is their number one priority, but the Gunners will face plenty of competition for his services – with United now emerging as a major contender.
Rice’s England international teammate Harry Kane is on United boss Erik ten Hag’s target list this summer as he is on red alert to sign a central striker at Old Trafford. United are desperate to sign an elite central striker and believe Kane’s contractual situation will mean that a deal is possible.
United are desperate to build on their progress this season to become proper Premier League title challengers next time out. This campaign, Ten Hag’s first in the dugout, has brought the EFL Cup crown, an FA Cup final and a near-certain return to Champions League football.
Deals for Rice and Kane would help to transform United’s starting line-up and their status for next season, although both deals would command significant transfer fees despite both players being out of contract in 2024 – so their current clubs will be mindful of selling.
Rice – who the Mail has now linked to United this summer – has already spoken of his admiration for Kane and hinted that he would like to play alongside him more often. The Hammers captain has spoken of how important Kane’s leadership at international level has been important for him.
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Rice said of Kane back in November: “With H, you feel his presence all the time. If you look at the other night, he was involved but beforehand he is in the changing room, getting everyone ready and talking to the lads individually,” Rice said.
“For a youngster like me, who is aspiring to be a future captain, you have to look at what he does. He might not be the loudest on the pitch, but the way he takes the ball under pressure and gets defences scared, he is a real leader.”
United are also pushing for a deal to sign Mason Mount from Chelsea, who like Rice and Kane is out of contract in the summer of 2024. Mount is aware that the Blues want to sell him this summer and he has expressed a preference for joining United in that instance.
Mount and Rice are childhood friends who have been teammates at international level for England, alongside Kane. Marcus Rashford, Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw are current England stars on the books of United, although the future of Maguire beyond this summer appears to be uncertain.
