Declan Rice

As we start to approach the fag end of the season it’s inevitable that thoughts are going to increasingly turn to the Summer window and what we need going into next season in order to take the next step forward. I think it’s reasonable at this point to anticipate that the season will end with CL football for next year, a decent point improvement on last season and possibly a pot, though knockout football is what knockout football is, so who knows? And it looks like Ole’s deal will be extended, so there’s a nice feeling of stability atm.

So what do we need?

The murmurs coming from the club appear to suggest the priorities have shifted from wide areas to the spine; cb, cf, cm and possibly a rb. I think most supporters would agree that cf and cb are the priorities given Martial’s drop off and Maguire’s lack of mobility, but I think there’s a unique opportunity here to extract the best bang for buck upgrade value in the cm position. I haven’t watched as much football as in previous years, but when I have watched West Ham play I’ve made a point of keeping an eye on this kid just because of the speculation, and I have to say he’s a very tidy player.

He reads the game well, is a definite improvement on The Scottish Player and Fred in his distribution, more mobile than Matic and way more disciplined than Pogba. He’s athletic, has a really good attitude, is versatile, a great age (two years younger than The Scottish Player) and is a decent aerial presence on both offensive and defensive set pieces - He’s a big part of why West Ham have over-achieved this year.

All things being equal I think his preference would have been Chelsea, but it looks like that avenue has been cut off now. Lampard was a big fan, but I think the board there feel it would be embarassing to let him go from their academy, then pay up to get him back. Shame we didn’t have a bit more of this.

Anyway, WH’s clowns are notoriously shit when it comes to transfers, and they are absolutely going to want Lingard permanently in the Summer. I think they represent the absolute best avenue we have to extract whatever transfer value he has left, especially as a make-weight to this deal. If we can con Moyes into pushing for another of our dead weights he may have liked while he was here, like Jones, Perreira etc, all the better. Two birds.

I think this is a no-brainer. CM is not the priority, but will be. Matic is almost finished, I love Fred but he’s not good enough to be anything other than a squad player on a title challenging team; The Scottish Player is not yet as good as he will be and Pogba has one foot out the door. I think we should absolutely take advantage of the opportunity to get Rice on the cheap while it still exists.

Personally think CM should be a priority tbh.

Originally Posted by dunk

Personally think CM should be a priority tbh.

We need a goalscorer badly mate. If we could only go balls out for one position this Summer I think it should be centre forward every day of the week.

The oil teams could make some serious signings at a fraction of the cost they would normally be. Oil does not have the funds unless he shifts Pogba/Martial and even then there are the other priorities.

If it happens I’ll be taking full credit for saging him and sticking by him when the naysayers said he wasn’t all that.

Originally Posted by NedKelly

If it happens I’ll be taking full credit for saging him and sticking by him when the naysayers said he wasn’t all that.

Well it won’t so all is good

Originally Posted by The Stella Fella

Well it won’t so all is good

Well if Stella fella on Utdforum says so...

Originally Posted by NedKelly

If it happens I’ll be taking full credit for saging him and sticking by him when the naysayers said he wasn’t all that.

He’s a good player, and at 22 his potential is huge. No guarantee he’ll realise it of course, but I think he has the attitude to make it more likely. I really like the vision of a Rice/The Scottish Player CM pairing in 2 years.

I like Rice and think he’d fit in very well, but he will inevitably be overpriced.

Think we’ll get better value elsewhere.

Also think much depends on the future of beek

Agree on the spine. RW has for a while been an issue for us but we bought two young wingers last season. Would expect Amad to play more next season. Otherwise what was al that money for.

CF though is for me the position we need most. Doubt Cavani will stay and even if he does I think we’ll sell Martial and get an upgrade. Wouldn’t mind that at all.

A world class striker would be ruining in this team with the amount of service he wouldn’t receive. Replace Mata and Matic with younger versions and we’ve got a lot of what we need.

Originally Posted by shenwen

I like Rice and think he’d fit in very well, but he will inevitably be overpriced.

Think we’ll get better value elsewhere.

Agree on the spine. RW has for a while been an issue for us we bought two young wingers last season. Would expect Amad to play more next season. Otherwise what was al that money for.

CF though is for me the position we need most. Doubt Cavani will stay and even if he does I think we’ll sell Martial and get an upgrade. Wouldn’t mind that at all.

I agree, but I think it’s possible for us to get a sizeable discount by over-valuing Lingard, who we all know is worth four-fifths of £#%&! all in the real world.

Rice, Upemecano, Sancho and Haaland would be decent.

Originally Posted by 92ToBury

A world class striker would be ruining in this team with the amount of service he wouldn’t receive. Replace Mata and Matic with younger versions and we’ve got a lot of what we need.

This is it for me. We can score goals, it’s our build up play In the middle that is shit. If we improve on it and add some protection to the defence then we’re closer than ever to getting back to the top imo.

Originally Posted by utd99

He’s a good player, and at 22 his potential is huge. No guarantee he’ll realise it of course, but I think he has the attitude to make it more likely. I really like the vision of a Rice/The Scottish Player CM pairing in 2 years.

Yeah he’s knuckled down well and credit to West Ham they’ve obviously put a lot into developing him. Can remember some friends and family raving about him 2 years or so ago, so to see him actually delivering (so far) is a great sign.

Originally Posted by Switching Off

Rice, Upemecano, Sancho and Haaland would be decent.

Yeah would be an alright window. Those four potentially world class players shouldn’t be too much to ask.

Originally Posted by 92ToBury

A world class striker would be ruining in this team with the amount of service he wouldn’t receive. Replace Mata and Matic with younger versions and we’ve got a lot of what we need.

Well I think we’re upgrading there as well. Bruno creates loads of chances, Diallo looks like a wide right player to be very optimistic about, Greenwood has been showing some really nice signs over the past month or so and it definitely wouldn’t hurt to upgrade CM so we could commit another body forward more.

As it stands Ole’s preferred formation has 7 out of 11 players whose priority is defence. If we could somehow get a RB who can replicate what Shaw is doing, while remaining defensively solid, we’re a whole different proposition.

I'm not convinced better build up play will lead to more goals. We have two forwards who don't like to get in the box, a teenager who will no doubt grow into one of the best, but not right now, and a 47 year old.

We need a natural born striker. In addition to Greenwood.

I think we'll see a CF and a CM in the summer. Can't see the money going on another CB.

Originally Posted by Switching Off

Rice, Upemecano, Sancho and Haaland would be decent.

I think that ship has sailed mate. Signed a pre with Bayern, no?

£#%&! Sancho. Still think we dodged a bullet there, given the prices that were being quoted.

Haaland. And replace Mata/Matic.

Originally Posted by shenwen

£#%&! Sancho. Still think we dodged a bullet there, given the prices that were being quoted.

The key will be if we can get a difference between what we can get for Lingard and what sancho would cost that is acceptable to the Glazers. Chelsea will go big on Haaland to make the price eye-wateringly out of our range.

I’m realistic and relaxed. We’re relatively skint.

Rice as this season’s Maguire would be nice. I say Rice, anyone decent in his position.

Bear in mind we keep Fred, who is perfectly serviceable.

#addition