Why the £85m target could be Man Utd’s answer to Declan Rice

Apart from Marcus Rashford who was sent off earlier, Kobbie Mainoo is the only current Manchester United player selected in England’s World Cup squad, following the surprise omission of Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire.

This situation would have been very different if United had set their priorities in previous years, namely chasing Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane in 2020 and 2023, respectively.

Another key member of Thomas Tuchel’s backbone, Declan Rice, was also a long-term target for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and co, before his £105m move to Arsenal three years ago, a player who, like Kane, many felt would have been snapped up in days gone by under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Rice’s Three Lions teammate, Elliot Anderson, may represent the latest missed opportunity for the Red Devils, although INEOS at least have other options in mind this summer.

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Six months after seeing Antoine Semenyo head to the Etihad, United have been forced to watch rivals Manchester City snap up another top target for Anderson, in a massive £116m deal.

INEOS, at least, have not put all their eggs in one basket, with Real Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni also being linked, while German star Felix Nmecha is believed to be keen on a switch to Old Trafford despite interest from Newcastle United.

It seems that there is a desire to pursue targets who want to join, following the saga involving Frenkie de Jong four years ago, which may be the main reason why United did not bid for Anderson.

Hopefully there should be no such problems amid West Ham United’s ongoing pursuit of Mateus Fernandes, with TEAMtalk reporting that the Red Devils are still confident the £85m Portuguese international wants to join them.

That comes at a time when Tottenham Hotspur are also firmly in the mix, although United hope the 21-year-old’s desire for a switch from Old Trafford could allow them to negotiate a fee as low as £70m, should he go that route.

According to Claret and Hugh, both clubs have already agreed a £140k-a-week (£7.3m-per-year) deal, including an agreement on personal terms, which is said to have turned the midfielder’s head.

Why Fernandes could be Man Utd’s answer to Rice

When the Gunners snap up Rice in the summer of 2023, it feels like a sure thing then, with the Englishman fresh from leading West Ham to Conference League glory.

As evidenced, the 27-year-old has exceeded expectations at the Emirates, now among the best midfielders in the world and the driving force behind Mikel Arteta’s Premier League push last year.

At Old Trafford, Michael Carrick needs a midfielder of his own, something Fernandes could provide, following a fine campaign with the Hammers.

Now, aged just 21, the Portuguese is not exactly a finished subject, having enjoyed just two seasons of Premier League football, a stark contrast to young Rice in that regard.

And yet, there is a perfection to his game that epitomizes the Arsenal man, a player who can really explode if given the chance to blossom in a top outfit.

A bright light in a struggling side at the London Stadium last quarter, like rice in front of him, Fernandes is another act, an almost classic midfielder, able to influence conversations on and off the pitch.

Throughout 2025/26, for example, he scored and assisted seven goals in his eighth place, a good return considering that he was mainly deployed as part of a midfield duo alongside the aging Tomas Soucek.

He is a dynamic, probing and forward-looking midfielder, as evidenced by the fact that he made one key pass per game last season.

Off the ball too, Fernandes has been excellent in possession, averaging 3.9 tackles and interceptions per game in the Premier League, as well as 5.1 clearances per game.

In comparison, look back at Rice’s last season at West Ham, and the similarities are almost frightening.

That 2022/23 campaign saw the then Irons captain and assist six goals, while averaging one key pass per game. He also created three ‘big chances’, many of which Fernandes won this time.

Defensively too, Rice boasted a similar average of 3.8 tackles per game, while successfully completing 0.9 dribbles per game – just ahead of Fernandes’ average of 0.9 from 2025/26.

That striking similarity is a good testament to the impact the former Southampton star could make if he were to make the move to Old Trafford, with West Ham proving to be a good breeding ground for midfielders.