Mail Online

DANNY MURPHY: RICE NEEDS TO LEAVE WEST HAM

Rice among raft of stars who would boost England by switching clubs

Danny Murphy

HALF the England team that beat Italy could move clubs this summer in a very hectic transfer window. Some think Gareth Southgate should be worried about the potential disruption to his players but I actually believe it will be to his benefit at Euro 2024.

What could be better than Harry Kane and Declan Rice challenging for big trophies, Harry Maguire and Kalvin Phillips playing regular first-team football and Jude Bellingham ripping up the Premier League.

It’s unusual to have so many England stars all facing an uncertain future at the same time. You could also include goalkeeper Jordan Pickford if Everton are relegated, while Chelsea’s Mason Mount is also attracting interest.

The situation for each individual is slightly different. Not all of them will be transferred in the next window, but many will. Declan Rice, who scored the opening goal in Naples, has to leave West Ham. Ideally he would have gone last summer because it’s been hard for him to maintain his best form in a team that doesn’t keep the ball or boss games as well as others.

He’s 100 percent ready to move to the next level and at 24 won’t want to wait any longer for Champions League football. Arsenal would be a great option and I think he’d be an automatic starter. The lure of Chelsea is also strong, having grown up supporting the club and playing in their academy.

If Rice has more than one Premier League suitor, Bellingham could have his pick of any club in Europe. What he’s achieved going to Borussia Dortmund at just 19 is outstanding.

I’m sure Real Madrid would love him but I have a hunch he may prefer to return to England and be closer to the family.

Jurgen Klopp told Virgil van Dijk he’d win titles at Manchester City but still be forgotten 10 years later whereas at Liverpool he’d be a legend forever. I wouldn’t be surprised if the same kind of sell may be used on Bellingham. Unlike Rice, he has experienced Champions League football so it might not be such a crushing blow if Liverpool don’t make it for one year.

Maguire has so far defied the logic that you need to be a club regular to play well at a major tournament like the World Cup or Euros but Southgate would still prefer him to be doing more than warm the bench at Manchester United.

The defender has responded with great professionalism to dropping down the pecking order but he doesn’t strike me as someone comfortable on the sidelines. I’d be amazed if he’s not wearing another club shirt next season.

Phillips is slightly different. He may want to give it another crack to prove he can be successful at Manchester City. Again, Southgate won’t want any of his players turning up to camp short of minutes. It impinges on team selection. For example, could he risk Phillips again against Ukraine today having started him in Italy?

The most intriguing case is Kane. Having given Gary Neville that interview about his future two years ago only for Manchester City and Tottenham to fail to reach a deal, Kane will be more circumspect this time. I don’t think he is committed either way to staying or leaving Spurs at the moment. It will depend on what the options are. City have Erling Haaland, Liverpool have Darwin Nunez and it would be hard for him to preserve the affection of Tottenham fans if he left for Chelsea or Arsenal.

A move abroad risks missing out on Alan Shearer’s Premier League goals record while Newcastle aren’t guaranteed to be any more likely to win silverware than Spurs. That leaves Manchester United as the most realistic destination.

Southgate will be reassured that his stars are in high demand. Far from being unsettling, a few good transfers will only serve to help England in Germany next year.

Euro 2024

en-gb

2023-03-26T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-03-26T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://mailonline.pressreader.com/article/283600994510768

dmg media (UK)