Dimitar Berbatov warns Manchester United against ‘strange’ move for Arsenal target Declan Rice

Dimitar Berbatov has warned his former club Manchester United over a possible move for West Ham star Declan Rice in the summer window.

The Hammers are expected to sell Rice at the end of the season with the 24-year-old unwilling to sign a contract extension at the east London club.

Arsenal have made Rice their top summer transfer target and are confident they can sign him ahead of Chelsea – who are long-term admirers – but United are also keen and may bid for him again after offering £100m last summer.

He is likely to cost a small fortune with West Ham boss David Moyes claiming that Rice would not just break the British transfer record but ‘blow it out of the water’.

‘It all comes down to what the manager wants and how he sees the team in his head,’ Berbatov told Betfred about United’s interest in the England midfielder.

‘Declan and Casemiro play in the same position, but the main difference between them is that one of them is 24-years-old and the other is 30-years-old.

‘One is slowly going towards the end of their career and the other is not even in their prime yet and is producing football of great quality.

‘Of course clubs are going to be after Declan Rice and the main thing that Declan will want from a new club is the promise that he’s going to play.

‘If he went to Manchester United then he’s going to want to play, demand to play and he’s not going to want to sit on the bench.

‘He won’t go to Manchester United if he believes there’s a chance that he may be a back-up to Casemiro.

‘It would be strange if Manchester United buy Declan Rice considering that they’ve just bought Casemiro from Real Madrid.

‘The only option you’d have would be to play them at the same time, but if you did that then you’d have to sacrifice another midfielder that plays a more advanced role up the pitch.’