Manchester City are yet to turn interest in Declan Rice into a bid as they weigh up what their midfield should look like next season.
There will definitely be some change, with Ilkay Gundogan set to join Barcelona and Mateo Kovacic joining from Chelsea for an initial £25m. However, Kovacic is not seen as a direct replacement for Gundogan and the club are again willing to accept a reasonable offer for Bernardo Silva if Paris Saint-Germain or anyone else firms up their interest.
West Ham midfielder Rice would be more of a direct replacement for Gundogan in terms of the fact he would be a marquee signing to replace one of City's most important midfielders, although in terms of playing style the comparison doesn't quite hold up. While Pep Guardiola has a brilliant track record of improving players, neither Kovacic nor Rice look ready-made to find space in the opposition box and provide the goal threat that Gundogan did.
With Phil Foden showing his credentials for a central role in the Champions League final, John Stones bossing the midfield in that game, and Kalvin Phillips showing a determination to stay and improve next season, there is scope to allow for more rotation of Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne without paying a marquee price to bring Rice in. For all the talent the England international has, the fee that he would command - especially given Arsenal's strong interest - would bring with it the level of expectation that Jack Grealish found difficult in his first season at the Etihad.
Also read: City close in on first summer signing with Kovacic medical
City showed with Grealish that they are not afraid to pay huge sums for what they see as long-term investment, and at 24 Rice has his best years ahead of him. However, the club are also keen not to be seen to be spending extravagantly with a high net spend and are expected to spend considerably in defence to cover for the expected departure of Aymeric Laporte.
City have made a point in recent years of not spending money if they didn't have to - see Jorginho in 2018 or Harry Maguire in 2019, for example - and the idea of stockpiling players so that rivals cannot get them does not tally with that stance or the manager's desire to work with a small squad. It is easy to see why Rice appeals to Guardiola and City, but the question marks over the midfield for next season and how he would fit in explain why they have not yet been at the front of the queue to sign him.
