Could Declan Rice play his way onto Pep Guardiola’s transfer list this weekend?

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West Ham United star Declan Rice could find himself being targeted by Pep Guardiola in January if he plays well against Manchester City on Saturday.

The Hammers host the Premier League champions at the London Stadium, and face a huge task getting anything out of the game.

City are in fine form and are top of the league on 32 points from 12 games.

They’ve plundered 36 goals so far, which is a frightening tally.

Perhaps even more impressively, they’ve also conceded just five goals.

One man who City can be in-part thankful to for such a good defensive record is Fernandinho, who is again proving how vital a cog he is in the Citizens machine.

Fernandinho’s form has been excellent, but at the age of 33 City must surely now be thinking about life after the Brazilian, and West Ham’s Rice could be a potential candidate, especially given his contract situation.

Rice set to put himself in the shop window?

Rice will surely start for the Hammers against City.

This season he has really made that holding midfield role his own, having previously operated as a centre-half.

Rice has shown excellent defensive discipline, and great ball-playing ability – something Guardiola is known to be obssessed with.

Fernandinho is one of the best in the division at receiving the ball from the goalkeeper and keeping the ball moving from there.

He always offers a nice outlet, which prevents the long ball and a potential loss of possession.

For West Ham, Rice has shown he has the ability to do the same and he might well catch Guardiola’s eye up close on Saturday.