---
title: "Frank McAvennie Names Perfect Candidate To Replace Declan Rice"
canonical: "https://readwestham.com/2020/11/19/mcavennie-lewis-ferguson-declan-rice-replacement-west-ham/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Dan Clubbe"
section: "West Ham News"
published: "2020-11-19T07:00:11Z"
modified: "2020-11-19T07:00:11Z"
---

# Frank McAvennie Names Perfect Candidate To Replace Declan Rice

Former West Ham striker Frank McAvennie has named who he feels is the ideal player to replace [Declan Rice](https://readwestham.com/2020/11/13/kevin-campbell-makes-declan-rice-plea-west-ham/) at London Stadium should the 21-year-old leave the club in the near future.

In an interview with [Football Insider](https://www.footballinsider247.com/pundit-exclusive-west-ham-backed-to-replace-rice-with-celtic-rangers-linked-21-yr-old/), McAvennie named Aberdeen’s Lewis Ferguson as the perfect candidate to take over the mantle if Rice left the Hammers amid [reports linking the England man](https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/players/chelsea-told-complete-declan-rice-19100701) with a move to Chelsea.

McAvennie belives the young Scot is ready for the Premier League, saying: ”I think Lewis Ferguson will go to the Premier League, I would love to see him at West Ham because he is a fantastic player.”

The former Irons striker continued: ”I do not want Declan Rice to leave but if he was I think Ferguson would be the ideal replacement for him. There has been so much talk about Declan and if he was to go I think the boy Ferguson is ready for the Premier League.

“He is only young and he is a good, tidy player. It is an eye-opener going to England but it would only benefit him.”

Ferguson is a Scotland under-21 international and has made a sublime start to the 2020/21 Premiership campaign for Aberdeen, scoring eight times and supplying two assists in 12 matches, all from central midfield ([Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/lewis-ferguson/leistungsdaten/spieler/428563)).

Unsurprisingly, he was linked with a switch to the perceived ‘big boys’ north of the border in the summer after his performances last term [earned him the SFWA Young Player of the Season](https://www.afc.co.uk/2020/06/11/lewis-win-sfwa-young-player-award/#:~:text=Lewis%20Ferguson%20has%20today%20been,Football%20Writers'%20young%20player%20prize.) award.

Despite Ferguson’s goalscoring exploits [outweighing those of Rice](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/declan-rice/leistungsdaten/spieler/357662), McAvennie believes there are similarities between the two players. He said: ”I think Lewis could fill his space. It is like for like. He is a young, energetic player who keeps the ball well, can tackle and he can get forward and score goals. I do not want Declan to leave but I would not be annoyed if Lewis Ferguson took his place.”

### READ WEST HAM VERDICT

Such is the leap in [quality from the Scottish top flight to the Premier League](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1458287-ranking-the-top-20-world-football-leagues-statistically) that it’s hard to say whether Ferguson would be a success in England, let alone as a replacement for a player as [pivotal as Rice is to the Hammers](https://www.whufc.com/news/articles/2020/october/15-october/we-are-delighted-how-declan-rice-developing-england-manager).

Whilst West Ham undoubtedly [face a battle to keep their prized asset](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2020/04/27/west-ham-braced-battle-keep-hold-declan-rice/), it’s a battle they must win.

On the other hand, with a value of £1.35m on [Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/lewis-ferguson/leistungsdaten/spieler/428563)and a tremendous scoring record, David Moyes may want to take a look at Ferguson for his own squad to feature alongside Rice without selling the England youngster.