Manchester United suffer blow in pursuit of Premier League superstar - Reports
Europa League finalists Manchester United have hit a massive roadblock in their quest to land West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice, according to British publication The Mirror.
The reason for the setback is due to the astronomical fee West Ham would demand in order to sell their vice-captain. According to the aforementioned source, The Hammers would demand upwards of £100 million from Manchester United.
West Ham manager David Moyes has previously insisted that if clubs like Manchester United wanted to sign Declan Rice, they would be required to pay a hefty fee. Moyes said:
"Any club can make offers for players but we’ve not had any big offers. I hope we don’t get any but if we do, like any other club, we would consider them.
"I’ve said with Declan, it would take the Bank of England and the Royal Bank of Scotland to get him."
Rice had a stellar season for West Ham, helping the Hammers to a 6th-place finish and allowing David Moyes' men to play Europa League football next season.
Declan Rice was Manchester United's primary target as their new holding midfielder. However, with a hefty transfer fee attached to him, the Red Devils will be required to look elsewhere.
Manchester United do need a central defensive midfielder in their team. An out-and-out CDM is a must for creative players like Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes to play further up the field without worrying about tracking back.
Manchester United set to have a massive summer
Manchester United are set to have a massive summer transfer window, according to the Daily Mail. Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is keen to add four new players this summer, which include Harry Kane, Pau Torres, Jadon Sancho and Declan Rice.
In order to sign all these players, Manchester United will need to shell out upwards of £300 million. Solskjaer is aware that asking for £300 million from the owners is not a realistic demand. However, the Glazer family want to sign one marquee player this summer to keep fans happy after the European Super League fiasco.
Therefore, the chances of United giving up Declan Rice this summer are much higher. Manchester United can do with the likes of Scott McTominay and Fred in the middle.
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