Liverpool could yet move for West Ham United phenom Declan Rice this summer, according to transfer specialist Rudy Galetti.
What’s the latest on Declan Rice to Liverpool?
Rice is widely expected to leave the Hammers this summer after clinching the Europa Conference League, but his club are demanding £120m for his services despite just one year left on his current contract – though there is an option to extend the deal for a further term
Arsenal are frontrunners for his signature, with Fabrizio Romano confirming that the Gunners are entering the “crucial stage” of their pursuit and will lodge a formal offer soon.
However, according to Galetti – speaking to GIVEMESPORT – anything could still happen and Liverpool may yet look to instigate a move to sign the midfielder, having been linked with him over the past several months.
Galetti said: “A mini revolution is expected in the Liverpool midfield after the arrival of Mac Allister from Brighton. There will certainly be other signings, Declan Rice is for sure Klopp’s forbidden dream.
The West Ham player will not renew his contract expiring in June 2024, and he’s ready to leave this summer after winning the Conference League. Arsenal are leading the race for him and he’s their top target, but anything could happen.”
How would Declan Rice perform at Liverpool?
It’s no surprise that one of the most fruitful periods in West Ham’s modern history has coincided with Rice’s rise to the fore, the England international having now made 245 appearances for his solitary professional outfit, scoring 15 goals, providing 13 assists and gleaning the club’s first piece of major silverware since 1980 with what’s set to be his final performance.
And despite the Irons’ failure to reach the same heights in the Premier League this term, finishing 14th after qualifying for Europe through the division on successive occasions under David Moyes’ tutelage, Rice has remained omnipresent in the centre as the “midfield general” – as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
This is illustrated by his average league rating of 7.19 this term, via Sofascore, with his six direct goal contributions from 36 starts complemented by an 88% pass completion rate, and an average of 2.1 tackles. 1.7 interceptions and 1.5 clearances per game.
Liverpool desperately need an enforcing midfielder of this mould to catalyse the club’s fortunes and return Jurgen Klopp’s outfit to the illustrious success that has become a staple of his time on Merseyside, disintegrated like smouldering ashes this term after a dismal year that exposed the frailties in both defence and the verve of the centre
And while Alexis Mac Allister has been signed from Brighton & Hove Albion for £35m in the early phases of the summer, he alone cannot rekindle the Anfield fire and few could prove to be more effective than Rice, who has been dubbed a “monster” by ESPN’s David Cartlidge.
The partnership that Rice may forge with the Argentine could result in a deadly concoction to lay waste to rival defences, with Mac Allister scoring 12 goals and supplying three assists from 40 appearances for the Seagulls this term.
With West Ham’s destroyer providing the perfect shield to protect the defence – ranking among the top 5% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for rate of interceptions per 90 (FBref) – Mac Allister could be the “magician”, as Danny Welbeck heralded him, that Liverpool need to conjure up some creativity and robustness from the midfield.
Whether Liverpool succeed in their pursuit, bypassing Arsenal’s interest and paying a lucrative fee, remains to be seen, but undoubtedly, he would be the nucleus to form one of the most intense and energetic midfields in European football.
