EPL News: West Ham's Rice brushes off Manchester United rumours

English Premier League heavyweights Manchester United have been reportedly linked with Declan Rice in a move to strengthen their midfield. It is believed that the club’s board is ready to shell out a whopping 70 million pounds for the 20-year-old. Rice plays as a defensive midfielder for West Ham United presently. He is considered a prized asset for both West Ham as well as the English national team and would be considered as an important signing for the Old Trafford side.  

Manchester United's crisis continues     

Ole Gunnar Solksjaer’s team has been out of form since the beginning of the season, with only two victories in eight Premier League games. The team has lost thrice along with sharing points on three match days. The team stands 12th on the points table, being closer to the relegation zone than the top four teams. Ole is yet to recover from the departure of Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez to Inter Milan without any proper replacement in the final third. They failed to qualify for the Champions League this seasonm, and would aim to win atleast the Europa League..

Also read | Sunil Chhetri Turns Vegan To Become A 'better Player', Improve Fitness

On the other hand, Rice was nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year Award 2018-19 season. He was also the runner-up for the Hammer of the Year award for the 2017-18 season. After his consistent performances, he was called up to the England national team by Gareth Southgate for the Euro 2020 Qualifier matches in March this year.

Also read | Euro 2020 Qualifiers: Norway Holds Spain's Qualification With 1-1 Draw

However, according to latest British media reports, Rice has categorically dismissed all rumours of his move to Old Trafford, saying that he has signed a five-year contract with West Ham till 2024, and he will abide by it. It comes as a big blow for United, who are struggling to compete for a place in the top four in order to gain UEFA Champions League qualification. It seems to be seen if Rice does move to Old Trafford in January. Manchester United take on league leaders Liverpool in their English Premier League clash on October 20 and face an uphill task to claim a much-needed victory.

Also read | Euro 2020 Qualifiers: Italy Beat Greece 2-0 To Secure Euro 2020 Spot