West Ham starlet Declan Rice is being lined up as the man to replace Fernandinho at Manchester City.

Fernandinho has been at City since 2013 and has been a standout performer for Pep Guardiola's side again this season,

But the Brazilian turns 34 in May and, according to The Sun, Pep Guardiola knows he needs to start finding a long-term replacement for the midfielder.

West Ham's Declan Rice is being lined up as a replacement for Fernandinho at Manchester City

The Brazilian midfielder is integral to the Premier League champions but turns 34 in May

Rice, it's claimed, has caught the eye of the City manager in his displays for Manuel Pellegrini's side. But should they want to prise him away from the London Stadium, they will have to pay a fee believed to be in excess of £50million.

The 19-year-old signed a five-year, £40,000-a-week contract with West Ham only last month but The Sun claim City chiefs have seen similarities with Fernandinho in the way he reads and controls the game.

It's reported Guardiola will continue to monitor Rice's progress throughout the season, with the City boss keen to see if he can stay the course in the English top flight.

The 19-year-old signed a five-year, £40,000-a-week contract with West Ham only last month

It's reported Pep Guardiola will continue to monitor Rice's progress throughout the season

In an ideal world, City would want the 19-year-old to spend a year playing with Fernandinho before allowing him to take on the mantle.

Despite the wealth of options in Guardiola's squad, Fernandinho's importance to City was underlined in December, when he missed three matches through injury.

City lost two of these games as Guardiola struggled to find an adequate back-up among his current crop. John Stones was temporarily moved into midfield before Ilkay Gundogan filled in at the base of midfield.