Manchester City favourite Sergio Aguero reckons Declan Rice is up there with Rodri as one of the best midfielders on the planet right now. Rice, 23, has been linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium himself as well as being a top target for neighbours Manchester United previously.
United were interested in Rice before Erik ten Hag was appointed as manager this summer. At that stage, the club turned their attention to Barcelona playmaker Frenkie de Jong - but when he opted to stay put at the Nou Camp it was Casemiro from Real Madrid who United signed to address their problem position.
Pep Guardiola made his own move in central midfield, meanwhile, as Kalvin Phillips was snapped-up from Leeds to provide competition for Rodri with long-serving Fernandinho moving on. Rice and Phillips could be paired together by England at the World Cup finals in Qatar - while Jude Bellingham is another strong candidate and City have been credited with interest in all three either side of actually landing Phillips.
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Aguero shared his verdict on Rice during an interview with Stake. He said: "For me, he [Rice] is a great player and is at the same level as the best midfielders like [Sergio] Busquets, Rodri and Casemiro.
"It seems to me that he is valued. What happens is that with him not being in a big-six team, then he does not get talked about as much. But he has proven himself and I think he is one of the main strengths of the England team at the World Cup."
When pressed on England's chances, Aguero added: "I think they have a team to get excited about. They could not win the Euros, but they showed in that tournament that they are a team to be feared."
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