Manchester United handed ‘contract boost’ as huge Declan Rice price tag emerges

Manchester United face a long wait to return to action following their disappointing defeat to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

Ralf Rangnick’s men will now be forced to concentrate solely on the Premier League and securing a top four finish.

That, in itself, is going to be a difficult task, with Arsenal and Tottenham both fighting for position.

But while the international break takes hold, we have taken a look at the latest United transfer rumours.

Rice price tag

United could find it difficult to pull off a move for West Ham United star Declan Rice this summer.

Rice has been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford for some time, and links have intensified this summer with Paul Pogba’s situation unclear.

But according to MailSport, Rice could be a little too expensive, with West Ham set to require a fee of around £150million to sell their midfield star.

Gravenberch race gets interesting

The Red Devils have also been linked with a move for Ajax midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, and he has spoken out about his position.

Speaking to NOS, via Goal, about his contract situation and links to a move away, he has said: "The contract negotiations have now been stopped.

“I just have one more year of contract now and that’s it, really. We’ll see. My father and agent are very busy with [handling other clubs] while I focus on football.

“Of course [I've seen the Bayern interest].

“You can read it everywhere, so there is interest from Bayern, but I think there are several clubs. I have no idea [what I'm worth], I have no idea. But if you're worth €25million (Bayern's reported bid), you can be proud because it's a lot of money, of course."

It seems United could get their opportunity, though with Bayern Munich and Liverpool also said to be interested, this transfer may not be as straightforward as it appears.

Contract boost

While United’s Pogba issues continue, there has been some apparent good news on the contract front.

According to O Jogo via SportWitness, the Red Devils and star midfielder Bruno Fernandes are ‘very close’ to agreeing a new deal.

The new deal is set to run until 2027, and it would be a huge boost for United heading into next season.