Gary Neville has warned Man Utd not to pay over the odds for Arsenal target Declan Rice in the summer transfer window as he fears the West Ham midfielder is being overvalued.
The England international has become one of the most sought-after midfielders in world football in recent years with his performances for the Hammers attracting interest.
Arsenal are understood to have made him their priority signing for the summer transfer window but there is also reported interest from Man City and Man Utd.
There are various reports over West Ham’s valuation of the player with anything between £80m and £120m being mooted as they look to take advantage of the interest from multiple clubs.
But Roy Keane recently said that Rice “needs to do a lot more” to justify his price tag and Neville doesn’t think Man Utd should bid any more than £50m-60m on the West Ham star.
“I heard what Roy said last night and I do agree with him,” Neville told Sky Sports News.
“I love Declan Rice, but I’ve said this for a long time about him, and Jamie Carragher will tell you so. When we do Monday Night Football and West Ham play, we always have the tactical cam, which is the high camera.
“Obviously, Declan knows the position, but when I look at world-class holding midfielders, and players of that type, because Rice doesn’t score or assist enough goals, so you’re putting him into that category of more of a destroyer, you’ve then got to be someone who I think is highly competent on the ball and linking play, and having that knowledge of the subtleties of getting on the ball from the back four.
“I personally feel, at this moment in time, that Declan needs to go and work under a different set-up, he needs to drive forward in his career, he needs to go and play at a different club.
“That’s nothing against West Ham or David Moyes. I think he’s done a brilliant job with Declan Rice and he’s had a great few years.
“But for me, I wouldn’t be spending £110m or £120m on Rice if I was Manchester United this summer. I would spend £50m-60m on Declan Rice, but I wouldn’t spend the figures being reported because I feel in that position, I still feel like he’s got a lot of growth.”
Neville added: “I know Chelsea have spent [£107m] on that position [for Enzo Fernandez], but I think the holding midfield player, the player who connects the back to the front and links play, to me that feels like a cap of £50m, £60m, maybe £65m.
“It doesn’t feel like a £100m position. If you’re spending £100m, you’ve got to have somebody who’s scoring 25 goals and getting 10 or 15 assists. That’s where £100m sit for me, even though the market gets destroyed and goes up every year in each position.
“I just feel like, if Declan Rice can go to another club and play a couple of years somewhere, that would be great.
“I want him to have a great career and I think he’s a brilliant lad, but I agree with some of Roy’s points that I think there’s a lot of growth, and a lot for Declan to do to get up to the levels of Casemiro, Rodri, and players at the top of the game in those positions.”
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