It is understood by Independent that Rice's advisers are fully aware of United's eagerness to sign the 20-year-old midfielder, who switched his international allegiances from the Republic of Ireland to England last month.
Rice signed a new contract that ties him to West Ham until 2024, but his £30,000-a-week salary will be dwarfed by the offer United could put before him.
West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini admitted his club may be forced to sell if a "big team pay an important amount of money" to sign the Hammers academy graduate.
Now West Ham officials are braced for a bid for Rice, with a fee in excess of £50m likely to be demanded for a player who has played just 56 Premier League games.
Borussia Dortmund's Jadon Sancho and Rice are on a list of transfer targets compiled by United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Juan Mata, Ander Herrera, Antonio Valencia and Marcos Rojo are all expected to leave United this summer, with Nemanja Matic's future in doubt if Rice arrives.
The plans mark a clear change of transfer policy from United chiefs, who have focused on signing expensive and proven performers in recent years as the like of Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic and Romelu Lukaku have arrived in big-money transfers.
With former United manager Alex Ferguson believed to have increased influence following the arrival of his former student Solskjaer and the return of his old assistant manager Mike Phelan to the first team coaching set-up, United are now eager to return to a tried and tested formula in the transfer market.
That involves signing the best young players in the world and developing a strategy for long-term success, rather than fixating on quick-fix and expensive solutions as Solskjaer prepares for his first summer transfer window as United manager.
gamemasterutd
63
Why is there so much hype about Rice, saw him play against chelsea. Bot worth 50 mil. He is at max worth 10-15 mil player. United should buy some class players like sancho, Koulibaly, felix etc. united are getting scammed in the transfer market it seems or the scouts are all high while scouting the list of players. United need to go up the table not down.
Vikram95
56
Idk what is all the hype about Declan Rice his stock seems to just have rocketed now that hes English and United werent even linked with him when he was Irish . There is something about being English and downright expensive for no reason whereas with that 50M they could go and get somebody like Ndombele who is actually really good and a certain world beater
BadmusKola
50
Why RICE of all cdm players? there's ndonbele of Lyon, Allan of NAPOLY, or even toni kroos is around that amount and wirh his experience he can boost our game play and help us challenge next season.. we need tw experience CB in coulibaly and varane or manolas and alderweireld... we can buy fekir or ziyech, zaha to shore up our right wing and buy Alex grimaldo of benfica or Alex telles of Porto to guve conpetu9n to luck Shaw and buy aron wanbissaka to give dallot competition also and buy and narrating midfield in Fernandez of sporting Lisbon or
Fatokid
48
Yes man Utd are about to get scammed again Arsenal scammed them Everton scammed them And now it’s westham turn Man Utd be paying $50m for English energy Cos that’s the only quality he has IMHO Not creativity , or great passes or even tackles .. Just energy !! Lol Do man Utd use technical directors at all???? 🤣🤣😂😂