4 Comments

Guardiola puts Declan in Busquets category!

Exclusive by CandH northern correspondent Terry Robbins

Declan Rice has been likened by people at Manchester City to legendary Barcelona and Spain midfielder Sergio Busquets, sources at the Etihad Stadium have informed ClaretandHugh.

And we can reveal City boss Pep Guardiola is understood to be the  driving force behind the Premier League champions taking a serious interest in Declan.
Busquets was widely regarded as the best defensive midfielder in the world as part of Guardiola’s all-conquering Barcelona team of a decade ago.
And Pep, who promoted Busquets to the first team from the academy, is understood to see similarities between the World Cup winner and Rice.
We value Irons value at £100m, should any team come knocking for his signature this summer, and that is more than justified when someone like Guardiola, who himself, was a world class defensive midfielder, rates our man so highly.
City are looking to refresh their ranks this summer and supplement further their English backbone of Phil Foden, Raheem Sterling, Kyle Walker and John Stones.
Rice has been flagged up along with Tottenham striker Harry Kane and attacking midfielder Jack Grealish, which would cost them the thick end of £300m – surely unrealistic even for City’s deep pockets.
City, however, are reportedly ready to sell or trade some of their bigger names, with Aymeric Laporte, Gabriel Jesus, Benjamin Mendy, Nathan Ake and Joao Cancelo, who could supposedly follow Sergio Aguero and Eric Garcia to the exit door.
When it comes to Rice, City are already aware Irons will not entertain anything below the magic £100m number and have compiled a list of cheaper alternatives.
Potentially, Hammers could be interested in some of City’s players as a possible makeweight, but those type of deals very rarely happen, certainly when both clubs invariably value their own respective players much higher than the opposite side of the negotiating table.
Perhaps more interesting at this stage is Guardiola seeing Rice’s talent and potential just like we do at the London Stadium.
Our City insider told us: “Rice really impressed Pep and his staff when West Ham played at the Etihad in late February.
“A few remarked how he reminded them  in some of ways of Sergio Busquets – just how he read the game and could break between the lines.
“Guardiola and his technical director Txiki Begiristain are convinced the talent coming through in England right now means players like Rice cannot be ignored.”
 

About Hugh5outhon1895

Hugh Southon is a lifelong Iron and the founding editor of ClaretandHugh. He is a national newspaper journalist of many years experience and was Bobby Moore's 'ghost' writer during the great man's lifetime. He describes ClaretandHugh as "the Hammers daily newspaper!" Follow on Twitter @hughsouthon

4 comments on “Guardiola puts Declan in Busquets category!

  1. 100 mill plus cash up front no ifs no buts..If not acceptable get some more oil wells out of storage ! Football is becoming a financial joke. Wouldnt sell to them or anyone at this time.

  2. And so it begins!

    Previously I have posted a comment about how these financially induced clubs play a long recruiting game, initially third parties start by making overtures and compliments about individuals they have earmarked for future acquisition, typically twelve to eighteen months ahead of requirements.

    Remember City’s execs are formerly Barcelona’s, the same people who prised Thierry Henry out of his beloved Arsenal?

    It’s akin to watching an inevitable car accident, you just know it’s going to happen, but powerless to stop it!

  3. He’s a clever man, he’s read or seen Declan rices interviews where Declan says he studies Sergio busquets and tries to style his game on him. Declan will be very happy to be compared to busquets.

Comments are closed.