Manchester United are reportedly putting plans in place to sign West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice during next summer's transfer window.
The 22-year-old - now a vital player for both England and West Ham - has allegedly told the Hammers that he will not be signing a new contract, which could lead to his exit next summer.
Rice is believed to be Man United's leading midfield target, with head coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer keen to boost his options in that area of the field ahead of the 2022-23 campaign.
The Red Devils could be forced to pay as much as £100m for the midfielder, though, with West Ham not prepared to let him leave on the cheap due to his standing in the game.
Here, Sports Mole looks at how Man United could line up next season if they manage to bring Rice to Old Trafford next summer.
Rice would not be signed to sit on the bench, so it is almost guaranteed that he would go straight into the Man United midfield next season. Whether the England international plays in a midfield two or midfield three is difficult to predict at this stage, but a lot could depend on Paul Pogba's future.
Should Pogba move on, which is likely, then Scott McTominay could be Rice's regular partner in midfield, as Solskjaer favours two holding players, particularly in the bigger matches.
Rice would not particularly offer a goal threat, but his ability to cover the ground and regain possession is up there with the best in the Premier League, and his temperament would be perfect for the 20-time English champions.
The midfielder has also now started to receive big-game experience with England and will play in the Europa League this season with West Ham, which will be extremely valuable to his ongoing development.
David de Gea appears to be in control of the gloves at the moment, and the Spain international has found a bit of form at the start of the new season, so he could remain between the sticks, while the team's first-choice back four this term is unlikely to change over the next 12 months.
Further forward, Jadon Sancho, Mason Greenwood and Bruno Fernandes could play behind Cristiano Ronaldo, who has a contract with the Red Devils until June 2023. Borussia Dortmund's Erling Braut Haaland remains a target, though, and it will be fascinating to see what happens with the Norwegian next summer.
Matt Law
