Roy Keane‘s criticism was fair enough, but Gary Neville has just made a really embarrassing Declan Rice claim.
The 24-year-old West Ham United captain will almost certainly leave the London Stadium at the end of the season.
READ ALSO: Report: West Ham are prepared to sell 24-year-old for £44 million
The likes of Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea all reportedly want to sign Rice from the Hammers according to The Express.
The West Ham star is one of the very best deep-lying central midfielders in world football and he has been absolutely sensational for David Moyes over the past three years.
Whether any club is prepared to pay that kind of cash for Dec remains to be seen. Gary Neville believes that he’s not worth anywhere near that amount…
Gary Neville delivers embarrassing Declan Rice verdict
The Sky Sports pundit and commentator was speaking on Sky Sports News about Rice after Manchester United knocked West Ham out of the FA Cup on Wednesday night.
Neville said:
“I heard what Roy said last night and I do agree with him. 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.”
Neville went on to say…
“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. I know Chelsea have spent £107m on that position [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 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. That’s where £100m sit for me.”
And the former Manchester United right-back finished off his Rice assessment by suggesting that he’s not at the level of the likes of Casemiro and Rodri:
“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.”
What a load of absolute rubbish.
However, to suggest that Declan Rice isn’t highly competent on the ball and is not very good at linking defence to midfield and on into attack is just ludicrous from Gary Neville. He has missed the point badly here.
If Neville had watched Declan Rice this season, he would know just how good technically he is and how accomplished he is in possession. The Sky Sports pundit would also know how good Dec’s range of passing is.
In my opinion, Neville’s comments on Rice just prove to me that a) he hasn’t watched him play much over the past couple of years and b) he doesn’t really understand his role in the West Ham team.
There will be a club out there that pays top dollar for Declan Rice in the summer and whatever the fee, they will be getting their hands on a truly unbelievable player. I have no doubt in my mind that the 24-year-old will go on to establish himself as one of the world’s best central midfielders over the next four years.
And when he does play for one of the so-called bigger clubs, perhaps the likes of Garry Neville will then realise just how good he is.
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