Man City and Man Utd to battle for Declan Rice in 2023 - with West Ham wanting ‘record fee’

Manchester City and Manchester United will have to wait until the summer of 2023 to sign Declan Rice according to reports.

The West Ham midfielder has been one of their star players this season, helping them reach the semi-final of the Europa League and in their push for a top four finish in the Premier League.

However, the Hammers realise they will struggle to keep the England international at the London Stadium in the near future, with Rice having three years left on his contract.

As per The Athletic, both City and United will have the opportunity to sign the 23-year-old, but will have to wait until the summer of 2023 to do so.

The sports site adds that if the Sky Blues and Red Devils are seriously interested in Rice then they will have to cough up a Premier League record transfer fee of £150m.

Pep Guardiola’s side don’t just face competition from their cross-town rivals for the Englishman, but also from Rice’s former youth team Chelsea, according to the same site.

They claim that the West Ham midfielder has rejected a contract extension at the club, implying he could be looking for a way out.

City broke the Premier League transfer record last summer with the £100m signing of Jack Grealish from Aston Villa.

The Sky Blues sit top of the table, one point ahead of Liverpool, while the Red Devils are sixth and the Hammers one place below Ralf Rangnick’s team.

Guardiola’s side could be an interesting choice for Rice given the departure of Fernandinho this summer and the quality they possess.

However, the Englishman could opt for the red side of Manchester, who have recently appointed Ajax’s Erik ten Hag on a three-year deal starting at the end of the campaign.

The Dutchman’s arrival and potential impact on United next season could lead to Rice being lured to Old Trafford in 2023.