Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has reportedly spoken to West Ham United star Declan Rice – but any move this summer appears to be unlikely.
Rice is set to feature for West Ham for possibly the final time tomorrow night.
He will lead out his side against Fiorentina in the final of the UEFA Conference League.
Rice will be under the spotlight, with the England international widely expected to change clubs this summer.
Just lately, Bayern Munich have been strongly linked with the player.
They can obviously offer Champions League football and are regularly winners of the Bundesliga. So that move could appeal to Rice.
But many can see him staying on English shores, as one of the country’s best players.
Pretty much all the biggest clubs have been linked with Rice.
Arsenal have probably shown the strongest interest in recent times, and the Gunners could swoop. According to the Guardian, the Gunners have the upper hand to sign Rice, as they are about to offload Granit Xhaka. They can also offer Champions League football now.
The Guardian have a line about City. They say that Guardiola has actually spoken to the £100 million-rated Rice.
But it is then stated that the club have no plans to replace Rodri.
Rodri has enjoyed a sensational season with City, and is arguably the best player in world football in his position.
Guardiola has used him heavily and on Saturday he will make his 56th appearance of the season.
Declan Rice would be an amazing signing for Man City, but he just isn’t needed
Pep is clearly a big fan of Rice. He has praised him publicly in the past, and now we have this claim that he has spoken to him.
But City just don’t need the player, unfortunately.
Rodri is the best in his position in the world and Pep absolutely loves him.
You can’t really have a player as good as Rice sat on the bench. He could go to many teams in the world and be a starter.
City could well extend Ilkay Gundogan’s contract yet. And then of course, there is Kalvin Phillips, who still hasn’t had a proper chance at the Etihad. It was recently suggested Rice would potentially be put off a move to City because of Phillips’ struggles.
If Phillips and Gundogan both left this summer, then perhaps City would have a need for Rice, who could potentially play as a number 8.
