“He’s so physically strong and powerful that you can’t catch him” – Mark Noble claims Manchester United target looks ‘on another planet’ at times

West Ham United captain Mark Noble believes Manchester United target Declan Rice can emulate the likes of Steven Gerrard, Paul Scholes and Frank Lampard.

Manchester United have, in recent months, been constantly linked with the 23-year old Rice.

The central midfielder has shown comprehensive improvement in his attacking game recently. He has scored three goals and made four assists in 26 appearances across competitions for West Ham this season. Mark Noble believes that Rice can easily increase his goal-return as well.

Speaking on Vibe with Five, he said:

"I don’t know if you’ve seen in the last six months how he’s improved his game where he drops the shoulder and he drives past you, and he just looks on another planet when he does that. He’s so physically strong and powerful that you can’t catch him. He does that so well now, and when he gets outside the box, his striking of the ball is top notch, and he can score even more goals."

Noble compared his own days as a young Premier League midfielder with that of Rice, and claimed that he never had the same kind of strength. He said:

“I’m pretty sure he’ll bring that to his game because he keeps learning. When I look at his game, and I watch him play and I watch him in training, I never had his strength and his legs. I could play, but I never had that sort of power."

Noble further added:

"For me watching on, if he becomes – and I still think he’s one of the best in the world at it now – like the Steven Gerrard mould where he’s getting 10, 12 a season from that position, and that in assists as well, you’re going on to be one of the best in the world.”

"I don’t think that happens quite as often in the game anymore"- Mark Noble on Manchester United linked Declan Rice's abilities

Mark Noble claimed that Declan Rice is capable of playing two positions at the same time. He can get to the end of the crosses and passes into the box whilst providing cover for the defense at the other end of the pitch. He said:

"Gerrard would get the ball off the back four and within two minutes, he’d be scoring in the six-yard box. You don’t really get that anymore, Yaya Toure was the same, Scholesy was the same, and obviously Stevie G and Lamps (Frank Lampard), even (Michael) Ballack when he was at Chelsea."

He added:

“Big, strong, powerful boys that played both positions. They’d sweep up in front of the back four, but also they’d get on the end of a cross and score. I don’t think that happens quite as often in the game anymore."

Rice has everything on paper that Manchester United will be looking for from their new defensive midfielder. However, Rice is reportedly set to cost at least £100 million and should attract interest from other big clubs.

Some cheaper defensive midfielder options for Manchester United include Ruben Neves, Amadou Haidara and Leeds United’s Kalvin Phillips.