Manchester United urged to make ‘statement’ with audacious move for Arsenal star

Manchester United have been urged to make a ‘statement’ signing for new manager Ruben Amorim by launching an audacious move for Arsenal and England star Declan Rice.

United’s inconsistent form has continued since ex-Sporting Lisbon manager Amorim replaced Erik ten Hag in the Old Trafford hot-seat last month.

The Red Devils failed to beat newly-promoted Ipswich Town in Amorim’s first game in charge and then followed up a 4-0 win over Everton with two defeats, the first at home to Nottingham Forest and the second away at Arsenal.

But Manchester United have since come from behind to win two games, beating Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League and then local rivals Manchester City in a dramatic derby at the Etihad Stadium.

Amorim is expected to bring in some of his own signings over the next two transfer windows and United hero Teddy Sheringham has named Arsenal midfielder Rice as the player he would love to see arrive through the doors at the Theatre of Dreams.

Manchester United were one of a number of clubs who expressed interest in signing Rice while he was at West Ham but Arsenal secured his signature in a deal worth £105m.

Rice’s influence at the Emirates Stadium has been such that his huge price-tag is barely mentioned, the 25-year-old hardly missing a game for the Gunners and helping them challenge for the title last season.

‘I said a couple of years ago, Manchester United should have got Declan Rice,’ three-time Premier League winner Sheringham told Genting Casino.

‘If they went out and bought Declan Rice off of Arsenal, that’d make me laugh, because that’d obviously make Arsenal weaker and make United even stronger.

‘He’s a proper player that leads by example. That’s the type of player that you need in your football club.

‘When you’re making a statement about a new manager coming in and buying new players, that is the type of player you buy. Declan Rice all day.’

While Rice moving to Old Trafford is all but a pipe dream for Manchester United fans, they may have a better chance of welcoming goalscoring sensation Viktor Gyokeres to the club.

United have been heavily linked with a move for one of Amorim’s former Sporting stars but Sheringham believes there are other areas that his former club should be prioritising.

‘I don’t think it’s imperative for United to move for Viktor Gyokeres at the moment when you’ve got Rasmus Hojlund,’ the ex-England striker added.

‘I think there’s other areas he would prefer to nail down. I think the club need a left back. Luke Shaw’s struggling with his injuries. He seems to get one after another, and you can’t pin your hopes on someone like that.

‘Another really good midfield player would be great, so I think there are other players and other areas to strengthen that are more important to him than buying another centre forward. Hojlund is showing enough.’

Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has been linked with a shock return to the club but Sheringham says he ‘wouldn’t go near’ the French World Cup winner.

‘I wouldn’t look at Paul Pogba as a good option for Manchester United or any other team in the Premier League,’ the 58-year-old said.

‘He’s been out of the game too long, and when he was in the game his attitude wasn’t great then. I thought his body language and demeanour were shocking.

‘I wouldn’t be surprised if a Premier League club snapped him up, because you can’t be surprised by anything in football, but, in my mind, I wouldn’t go near him if I was a Premier League manager.’

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