Gary Neville claims that Sir Alex Ferguson would have ensured that both Declan Rice and Harry Kane played for Manchester United if he were still the manager.
During his 25 years as Manchester United manager, Ferguson would always attempt to sweep up the best English talents.
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The former Red Devils boss signed players like Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick and Wayne Rooney, with both Rice and Kane being a similar ilk of player.
England will be heading to the World Cup this summer, so heavily reliant on Kane and Rice being the standout players for Thomas Tuchel’s team.
Gary Neville says Sir Alex Ferguson would have signed Declan Rice
Gary Neville guarantees that Sir Alex Ferguson would have ensured Declan Rice became a Manchester United player if he were still manager.
Arsenal won the race for Rice back in the summer of 2023, paying £100 million, and that has proven to be the most decisive signing in the Mikel Arteta era.
“I think Harry Kane, if Sir Alex Ferguson were the manager of Manchester United, he would never have allowed Harry Kane to be anywhere,” Neville told Rio Ferdinand Presents.
“He’d have literally made sure he came to Old Trafford, and Declan Rice would have been the same. I don’t think Declan Rice would have gone anywhere other than Old Trafford from West Ham. He’d have been all over those two.”
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With the Gunners now back on top of English football, it is Arteta who has the power over the majority of the best English talents.
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Just like Ferguson, Arteta is keen to build an English core at Arsenal, and this summer, he is looking to add Morgan Rogers.
Rogers could be the perfect profile for Arteta, and the Gunners are now working to bring yet another England star to the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal already have a very strong English core, with players like Rice, Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ben White.
10 to 15 years ago, that was United who had such a strong foundation, but it’s clear that there is a new powerhouse of English football.
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