United are planning to go after both players next summer, it seems.
And whether they’re successful in strengthening their midfield, after failing to do so this summer, remains to be seen.
Speaking in July, former United star Paul Parker endorsed his old side’s interest in Rice and expressed a belief he’d be a good Old Trafford hit.
“If you’re going to talk about impact [of transfers], I think he could maybe be the most important one and could make the difference in a really-good partnership compared to an average one,” he told MEN Sport.
“The way he plays, the authority he plays with, he nicks balls off people’s toes, he very rarely gets booked.