Five Declan Rice alternatives for Man Utd late in the transfer window

Robin Bairner

• 25 Aug 2021 11:06 BST
• 3 min read

Manchester United have not added to their midfielder over the course of the summer transfer window, despite being hotly linked to West Ham midfielder Declan Rice.

West Ham’s demands for £100 million for the England international have put the Red Devils off.

However, Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Southampton highlighted that the Old Trafford side could perhaps use an additional option in that area, having regularly struggled to get on the ball at St Mary’s.

There are some excellent options presently available if United wish to follow them up.

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Eduardo Camavinga

Man Utd have long been linked with Rennes teenager Eduardo Camavinga, only to baulk at the Ligue 1 side’s asking price. With just a week left in the transfer window, the France international seems set to depart, having apparently informed the club’s ultras of impending following the weekend’s 1-0 win over Nantes.

Camavinga has struggled for form amid all the transfer chatter, and with just a year left on his contract is likely to be available for around €30m. For a player touted as one of the game’s next great hopes, this could prove a bargain.

Ilaix Moriba

Barcelona sensation Ilaix Moriba is a young player in a more desperate situation than Camavinga. His deal is up in 2022, and as he is refusing to sign new terms, the Catalan side have frozen him out of action.

While Barca are demanding €15m to allow the 18-year-old to depart, their difficult financial situation means that there may be some capacity to get that fee even lower as the window draws to a close.

Marcel Sabitzer

Another player who has been associated with Man Utd in the recent past is RB Leipzig midfielder Marcel Sabitzer. He is another player who is out of contract in a year and who is pushing to leave.

More experienced at 27, he is also significantly cheaper than Camavinga. Indeed, it is thought that the Bundesliga side would happily accept a bid around the €15m mark.

He is, however, less likely to elevate the level of the midfield over the short- or long-term.

Saul Niguez

Perhaps the best option is Saul Niguez, another player they have been heavily linked with in the recent past. Having had a fee of around €35-40m placed on his head, he represents a potentially massive bargain for a player of his quality. Indeed, FootballTransfers’ values him around the €69m mark.

Man Utd have had a keen eye for a bargain this summer, and the Spain international certainly fits that bill and would bring the team additional technical quality in the midfield.

Ander Herrera

Ander Herrera moved to Paris Saint-Germain from Man Utd and should not be ignored as a potential option as the transfer window winds down.

The Parisian side have too many central midfielders in their ranks and will likely try to reduce their numbers in that area, with Herrera one of the players who could depart. Leandro Paredes might be another player United have their eye on, though the Argentine’s style may be seen as incompatible with the Premier League.