Manchester City will reportedly consider a move for West Ham talisman Declan Rice this summer, and the England international could be the ideal replacement for Fernandinho should he depart.

According to The Times, City will consider a move for the 22-year-old midfielder if the Brazilian decides to leave when his contract expires at the end of the season.

The 36-year-old has put in some inspired performances of late and was superb in City's 2-0 win against Paris Saint-Germain which sealed their spot in the Champions League final in midweek, which emphasises that he still has the ability to play at the very top.

However, the Brazilian, who reportedly earns £150,000 per week at the Etihad Stadium, is currently set to leave in June and it seems clear that Pep Guardiola will want a ready-made replacement for next season.

Although they already have Rodri available in that position and the Spain international has been the first-choice there for most of the season, he cannot play in every game, especially if City are in a similar position next term in competing for multiple trophies and therefore have two games a week regularly.

Therefore, a move for Rice would make a lot of sense, as he has established himself as one of the best defensive midfielders in the Premier League in recent years and could prove to be an ideal long-term replacement for Fernandinho.

So far this season, the former Chelsea youngster has made 29 appearances in the top flight, contributing one goal and one assist and averaging a solid 7.02 WhoScored rating for his performances.

Rice has been a driving force in West Ham's push up the league, which has left David Moyes' side competing for a Champions League spot with just a few games of the season remaining, which is a remarkable achievement when you consider their struggles last term.

The Englishman also emphasised his class in recent World Cup qualifiers, averaging a 7.72 WhoScored rating across his two appearances against Albania and Poland.

Although he certainly wouldn't come cheap, with Transfermarkt valuing him at £54m, his performances in recent seasons have suggested that he could definitely establish himself as a world-class midfielder in the future, especially under the tutelage of Guardiola.

Therefore, City sporting director Txiki Begiristain should definitely look to sign the "outstanding" Rice this summer if Fernandinho departs, as he could prove to be the ideal replacement for the former Shakhtar Donetsk man.

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