Liverpool should look no further than Declan Rice if they are searching for a replacement for Jordan Henderson, according to Danny Murphy.
Henderson was the first Reds captain to lift the Premier League trophy in 30 years back in 2020 and also lift Liverpool's seventh European Cup a year earlier, but is no longer an automatic starter for Jurgen Klopp, as midfield competition continues to intensify. And if the Merseyside outfit is looking to bolster their engine room options for next season, Match of the Day pundit Murphy thinks West Ham star Rice is the man for the job.
Hammers boss David Moyes claims the 23-year-old is worth £150million - a fee Liverpool would have no interest in meeting - but ex-Red Murphy insists that he would be a 'phenomenal' signing.
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Speaking to Anfield Watch, on behalf of The Punters Page, Murphy said: "Declan Rice for me 100%. I think if you’re looking for a Jordan Henderson replacement, then you need somebody who could be there for the next ten years. Rice is a super athlete; he can get box-to-box like Henderson and he leads others around him.
"He doesn’t have to play the holding role, but he could if Fabinho got injured, and I think he could become a great number eight in a better side. He’ll be able to get forward more and score goals which he has shown at times. I know he’ll be really expensive, and Liverpool won’t pay that sort of money, but if you’re asking me from a fan’s mindset and a pundit mindset, then if Liverpool were to only sign Declan Rice it would be a phenomenal signing. But as I say I think it would be unlikely."
Rice has made 50 appearances for West Ham this season, scoring six goals. Henderson has made 51 appearances for the Reds during the current campaign, finding the net three times.
