Frank McAvennie names two midfielders to replace Declan Rice

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Frank McAvennie thinks West Ham should try to sign Lewis Ferguson or Kalvin Phillips this summer to replace Declan Rice.

The England international is expected to depart the London Stadium at the end of the current campaign. A deal for around £80 million has been suggested.

“I think Declan is off anyway, he’s gone,” he told West Ham Zone.

“I don’t think there is anyone that is his calibre that they can bring in. Soucek’s been off the boil because Declan has been off the ball.

“I always thought the boy Ferguson who was at Aberdeen, and then he went to Bologna, and now he’s got Inter Milan and Juventus fighting for him. I thought he would have been an ideal replacement for Declan. He’s that kind of player.

“It’s not going to happen now, but that’s the kind of player I would have gone for. Someone who just sits in there and controls the game.

“Ideal replacement would be the boy at Man City, Kalvin Phillips. He’d be ideal. I couldn’t understand why he (Southgate) would play the two of them, because they’re the same type of players.

“He’d be the ideal replacement, but we’ll have to wait and see.”