Manchester United are poised to take on Premier League rivals Arsenal for Declan Rice by potentially offering Scott McTominay and Harry Maguire to West Ham in return.
The bad news is that Declan Rice - born and raised in London - is still thought to be more likely to go to Arsenal than Old Trafford. Additionally, Manchester United's relatively tight budget - Erik ten Hag's purchasing power further complicated by the ongoing takeover saga - means the Red Devils won't be hitting their £100m asking price any time soon. Sterling from West Ham.
But not everything is negative. The good news is that United may have a trump card in their hands. David Moyes, the former West Ham manager at Old Trafford, is a huge fan of Scott McTominay and Harry Maguire.
Both players can now be offered to the Conference League champions in a deal that could help Rice go the other way, although The Telegraph would not say exactly how much Man United would be willing to pay for the team. Chief Hammers.
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Manchester United compete with Arsenal for West Ham's Declan Rice
Arsenal saw an initial offer of £75m rejected 'in the dark' this week.
Assuming Maguire and McTominay are valued in the region of £60m combined, United can hope they can acquire Rice for around £40m, while also eliminating two players who have been disadvantaged by rising wage bills. .
Talk about killing two birds with one stone. Moyes has publicly spoken about his admiration for Maguire in the past. The Scot discovered the former Leicester City defender during his brief stint in the Reds hot seat a decade ago. Maguire was plying his trade for Sheffield United at the time.
Meanwhile, McTominay could be a ready replacement for Rice in the heart of Moyes' midfield. He is not technically gifted like the West Ham academy graduate. But McTominay has the same energy, running power, and ability to carry the ball.
"The biggest club in the world"
Rice was generally excellent when West Ham beat Man United at the London Stadium six weeks ago.
"When you play against Manchester United, you really want to play well. They're the biggest club in the world," Rice told talkSPORT full-time.
“People are watching Man United and you want to stand out. That's what I try to do in every game. But, when you play against the big teams, you have more fire in your stomach to show off.
United wanted a true carrying midfielder who could bridge the gap between defense and attack. Rice, with his driving time from the number eight role, could potentially give United what Frenkie de Jong could have had if he had arrived from Barcelona a year ago.
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