‘Exceptional’: Pep Guardiola raves about 24-year-old player who Liverpool reportedly want to sign
Pep Guardiola had heaped praise on star West Ham player, Declan Rice, ahead of their clash against the Hammers on Thursday.
The 24-year-old is a Liverpool target along with other PL clubs like Arsenal and Man City as well. The Englishman was a major miss for David Moyes and his team when they hosted Pep’s team. But this did not stop the Spanish manager from praising the midfielder.
While speaking to the press, the Man City manager said that he is ‘an exceptional player.’
“The quality is there. At set-pieces they are maybe one of the best, scored three goals against Crystal Palace in their last match, they attack the channels with Antonio and Bowen, Declan Rice is an exceptional player.”
It had been reported that the Reds were in the race to sign the Hammers skipper. Rated at around £75 million, the West Ham player has gained interest from a lot of PL clubs.
Price for Declan Rice: could Liverpool and FSG go for the £75 million player?
Declan Rice has been in the bracket of ‘best midfielders in the league’ for a few seasons now. It isn’t a surprise that the Englishman has been linked to top clubs.
With backing off from Bellingham deal, the Reds are now looking at other ‘cheaper’ options in the market.
With Klopp looking to revamp his squad, a lot of midfield options have been looked at. The likes of Mount, Caicedo, and Mac Allister have been in their tabs.
As per The Mirror, Klopp has shown interest in bringing Rice to Anfield for the next season.
However, Rice could easily be Klopp’s midfield solution. Rice is your typical box-to-box midfielder who has been crucial for both West Ham and England.
West Ham are aware of the interest Rice has been getting and have set the price tag of over £75 million. While this is the case, Guardiola’s comments might have just increased his stock as well. Moreover, this could add a few more millions to his asking price.
