Pep Guardiola shows his admiration for the English and Premier League superstar
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola praised Declan Rice, the talisman of West Ham United in a recent interview with BBC Sport journalist Simon Stone.
When asked about the 24-year-old England international, Guardiola simply replied:
"He's a special player."
Several clubs are said to be interested in signing Rice, including Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United - The Citizens are not the only club linked with him.
Moreover, it is difficult to know which layout Rice will fit into Man City's layout. The defensive midfield position - Rice's main role - was filled by Rodri, one of the best starting players in the world. Despite all of Rice's talent, he's not on the same level as the Spaniard at this stage of his career. It is not clear what the purchase price of rice is at this time. While West Ham are said to have valued him at £100m, some outlets are reporting that he could be worth as much as £120m.
In a tweet from Fabrizio Romano, he wrote:
"Pep has always rated Rice as the best midfielder, but this summer's race will include many of the top clubs - the price is still unclear, except West Ham."
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AS Roma midfielder Nemanja Matic has revealed he and team-mate Tammy Abraham have bet on the Premier League title race between Arsenal and Manchester City. Matic admitted to backing Man City to win while Abraham sided with the Gunners.
The Premier League has seen an intense title race this season, with the Londoners and Cityzen going all out to take home the trophy. Mikel Arteta's side are heading for the title at one stage, eight points behind second-placed Man City before the international break in March.
Things took a turn for the worse for the Premier League leaders in April, when they played three consecutive draws before suffering a 1-4 defeat to Man City on April 26. Pep Guardiola's side, on the other hand, look more solid than ever, with the amulet Erling Haaland leading the way on his goals.
In an interview with Sky Sports, Matic was asked if Haaland could help Manchester City win the historic treble this season. The former Chelsea and Manchester United midfielder has backed the Norwegian helping Man City, revealing he has bet with Roma team-mate Abraham in this season's title race.
"I think so. I made a bet in our dressing room with Tammy a few months ago. He said Arsenal would win, I said Man City would win," Matic said.
“They have everything in their hands. They have experience playing these types of games. A bad result can change everything, but City have more luck.
Manchester City will face reigning European champions Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals in May. If they overcome the White Devils, they will have to beat Inter Milan or AC Milan in the Champions League final. After beating Sheffield United in the FA Cup semi-final, City will face Manchester United in the final at Wembley Stadium on June 3.
If winning the cup tournaments as well as the Premier League race, Man City will become the second English team to win the treble. Manchester United became the first team to win it in the 1998-99 season.
Gary Neville urges Arsenal to focus despite losing the top spot to Man City
Manchester United legend Gary Neville has advised Arsenal to keep doing their best in the Premier League as a Man City mistake could help them regain their advantage.
On his podcast, Neville said:
"I think Manchester City will win the league. However, anything can happen. We've seen a strong team take the lead but then struggle, as Arsenal have done in recent weeks.
"The year Man City won the league for the first time in 2012, United walked past them and people thought:
"Oh, let's start, they'll attack with force" and they didn't, they tripped. »
Manchester City won their first Premier League title of the 2011-12 season, beating Manchester United. Both teams finished on points with 89 points, of which Man City won thanks to a superior goal difference.
Arsenal, currently one point behind Manchester City, will face Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on May 2. City, who have one game left, will face West Ham United in their next Premier League game on May 3.
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