West Ham line up Sergej Milinkovic-Savic to replace Declan Rice if the captain asks for a summer transfer

WEST HAM put Lazio star Sergej Milinkovic-Savic at the top of their list to replace Declan Rice.

The strong Serbia midfielder has been ruled out of Premier League moves in the past but is close to entering the last season of his contract in the summer.

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And Hammers is hot on his heels, with boss David Moyes sending in trusted spy Alan Irvine last week to watch him in action.

Milinkovic-Savic, 27, will be of keen interest in the next window but he could be within West Ham’s reach now as the bigger clubs appear to have overlooked him.

The powerful and skilled operator is a Moyes-type and shares similarities with Rice, who will likely be sold at the end of the season.

Hammers anticipate a massive offer for Rice, who is tempted by a super salary as one of the biggest captures.

So Moyes scours the market for a replacement.

West Ham are also following developments with Kalvin Phillips at Manchester City.

The midfielder wasn’t thrilled when they tried for him a year ago when he was still at Leeds.

But that may change if he wants more first-team football again.

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Milinkovic-Savic joined Lazio from Genk in 2015 and has since attracted significant interest across the continent.

Some of the Premier League’s biggest clubs have also had their eye on it, with Manchester United posing as longtime admirers.

The Serbia international has registered six goals and eight assists in 30 appearances in all competitions this season.