Declan Rice: The Dream Signing for Manchester United
Paul Scholes has nailed his colours to the mast: Declan Rice is the “dream” signing he wants Manchester United to chase this summer.
That’s quite the U-turn from a man who has regularly picked holes in the £105 million midfielder’s performances since his move to Arsenal. Scholes has often questioned whether Rice truly belonged among the elite. Now he’s saying United should build their midfield around him.
On The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, the 11-time Premier League winner laid out his change of heart. He admitted he’d been critical, but argued that Rice’s profile is exactly what United have been missing for years in the centre of the pitch.
“I think I would go Declan Rice,” Scholes said. “I know I’ve slagged him off a little bit but I think Manchester United need someone like Rice. I think they need a proper central midfielder.”
That word – “proper” – cuts to the heart of his argument. United’s midfield has been a revolving door of short-term fixes and awkward fits. Scholes clearly sees Rice as the anchor who could finally steady it, a player to give structure to a side still searching for a clear identity.
He also pushed back hard against the idea that United no longer have the pull to land the very best.
Responding to comments from Rio Ferdinand about what constitutes a realistic managerial target, Scholes was blunt: “I heard Rio Ferdinand say something the other day about who is a realistic managerial target for United. But every manager and player should be realistic for Man United. Who isn’t a realistic target for United? I don’t believe that, I think anyone is possible for United.”
It’s a direct challenge to the narrative that Old Trafford’s aura has faded beyond repair. For Scholes, the badge still carries enough weight to tempt any coach, any player – including a cornerstone of a direct Premier League rival.
United’s recent uptick under interim boss Michael Carrick has only sharpened the conversation. A crucial win at Stamford Bridge has put a return to the Champions League back within reach and given Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s new regime a platform. The coming transfer window now feels like a test of intent as much as recruitment.
Rice, though, has his own battle to fight. At Arsenal, he sits at the heart of a title race with Manchester City, tasked with holding his nerve and his midfield as the pressure rises in the final weeks. He was signed to be the difference in exactly these moments.
So the picture is clear. Arsenal’s £105 million lynchpin driving a title push on one side. On the other, a former United great urging his old club to rip up the doubts and go for the same player as the centrepiece of a new era.
If United really believe, as Scholes does, that “anyone is possible”, this summer will show it.
