Liverpool will be looking to sign at least two to three midfielders this summer, and Arsenal target Declan Rice should be one of them.
The Reds have been linked with a move for a host of midfielders, including Alexis Mac Allister, Mason Mount, and Ryan Gravenberch, but Rice is also on their wish list, as per Florian Plettenberg.
The West Ham skipper has been targeted by Arsenal and journalist Dean Jones said recently that Rice is “very interested” in moving to the North London club.
The 24-year-old is certain to leave West Ham in the summer after a disappointing season, and there won’t be a shortage of offers for him. He has a contract at the London Stadium until 2024, but the Hammers have the option to extend it for another year.
It won’t be easy to prise him away. It has been reported that a fee of around £80m should be enough to lure him away from West Ham but the Hammers may look for a figure of over £100m for their talisman skipper.
Rice has stated his desire to play in the Champions League, but you generally don’t refuse straightaway when Jurgen Klopp comes in with an offer. And that is exactly what Liverpool should do – make a presentable offer for Rice to make a decision on his future.
Over the past few years, Rice has grown into a top-class midfielder, and he would be a stellar addition to the Reds squad. Klopp will be buoyed by what Rice did last week, and he must be thinking – this is what the Reds are missing at the moment.
He scored a spectacular goal in the 4-1 win over Gent in the Europa Conference league and followed up with another goal in the 4-0 win over Bournemouth in the Premier League. He has been the epitome of consistency for the club in the past two years, and he is driving the Hammers forward as they continue to steer clear of relegation danger.
His leadership qualities, his defensive attributes, and his buccaneering runs should make him an ideal fit in Klopp’s side, but now he has added goals to his game as well. It’s futile to debate whether he is really worth £80m – it is beyond Rice’s control – the club should consider other factors.
What needs to be considered is that Klopp needs another leader in midfield who is hungry to prove the doubters wrong, someone who is keen to prove that he belongs to the top level and Rice can give him exactly that. Jude Bellingham would have been an ideal signing, but Rice would be an equally terrific addition for Liverpool.
