“I stand by this…” – Man Utd legend believes “top table” star was ready to accept United transfer | OneFootball

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has made the big claim that his old club could’ve beaten Arsenal to the signing of Declan Rice.

The England international joined the Gunners from West Ham United in the summer of 2023, and he’s proven a big hit at the Emirates Stadium.

Rice is one of the names of the moment, having stepped up with two world class displays in both legs of Arsenal’s Champions League quarter-final victory over Real Madrid.

Ferdinand was full of praise for the way Rice showed himself as a “top table” player in such an important game.

But the pundit also expressed his regret that Man Utd didn’t try to sign him when he was at West Ham…

Declan Rice would’ve joined Manchester United, says Rio Ferdinand

As Ferdinand said in his YouTube video, MUFC could’ve tried harder for Rice, with the former defender convinced that the 26-year-old would’ve said yes to an approach from Old Trafford.

“We didn’t go and sign him and I think if, and I stand by this, if Man United had come to the table with a checkbook and said ‘We’ll match what Arsenal pay,’ I reckon Declan Rice would have chose Man United.”

Arsenal fans will be delighted that Rice chose them in the summer of 2023, as he now looks like he could drive them to Champions League glory.

Declan Rice celebrates scoring for Arsenal against Manchester United (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Rice could surely have been a dream signing for United, with the Red Devils lacking anyone of that calibre in their midfield at the moment.

Rice is a player with similar presence to someone like Roy Keane with his work rate, quality and leadership in the middle of the park.

One imagines Rice is precisely the kind of player Sir Alex Ferguson would’ve signed back in the day, but he now looks well on his way to becoming an Arsenal legend.