Manchester United legend Roy Keane has backed West Ham midfielder Declan Rice to improve his former club’s midfield if he does move to Old Trafford.

The 22-year-old has been linked with the Red Devils, along with Manchester City and Chelsea in recent months, and Keane says the England international is a much better player than he was at the same age:

“I think he would [improve United’s midfield]. I think Declan has improved more than any player I’ve seen over the last one or two seasons. I know he’s been linked with United. If you said to me a year or two ago, I’d have said ‘no, let him stay a year or two to mature’.”

“He’s 22 and I look to where I was, I think he’s way ahead of me when I was 22. I think the next step will come to him when he plays a higher level, and when I say higher level I mean for Man United, playing in Champions League, competing for trophies.”

Rice’s asking price is the main obstacle to any deal being done for the midfielder. West Ham are currently sticking to their guns with their £100m valuation and it seems unlikely they will lower their demands.

United do need to strengthen their options in the middle of the park, with Nemanja Matic not getting any younger and Paul Pogba looking likely to leave the club next summer when his contract expires.

There are believed to be alternatives to Rice if the Englishman is seen as too expensive. The likes of Aurelien Tchouameni, Franck Kessie, Yves Bissouma and Ruben Neves have all been suggested as potential targets.