Race for Rice between Man City and Arsenal
As the bidding race for Rice between Man City and Arsenal is online, both Manchester City and Arsenal are desperate to sign the players in transfer sagas. Premier League runners thought they had their man a few days ago but, as they continue to haggle over the price with West Ham, but Treble Winners Manchester City look ready to move with a bid of their own.
The England midfielder, becoming only the third West Ham captain to lift a trophy, looks set to become the second most expensive player even after Jack Grealish with the Hammer seemingly wanting at least £90m.
His game for west Ham is the Europa Conference League crown with a 2-1 win over Fiorentina. The 24 year old would like become Arsenal’s record capture, beating Nicolas Pepe’s £75m signing, or Man city’s second most expensive signing after Grealish.
“Arsenal, clearly, are in pole position. It is felt most of the negotiation around the transfer from a player perspective is done.
“Man City’s interest is real though, even if, with Rodri, Mateo Kovacic and Kalvin Phillips, they are not exactly short of central midfield options, despite the departure of Ilkay Gundogan for Barcelona. It would be easy, for instance, to see David Moyes being interested in Phillips, even though the England man says he is committed to City.
“Arsenal’s problem is this; they can feel confident in their position, continue to chip away at West Ham and hope eventually, the answer is ‘yes’. But that comes with risk.
“It is easy to dismiss the current situation as [West Ham] owner David Sullivan trying to drive up the price of a player he knows is leaving. However, for Arsenal, the stakes are high – and they need to get their reaction right.”
Declan Rice journey over the league
Declan Rice has played 245 games and scored 15 goals for West Ham, having made his debut in the 2016-17 season after coming through the academy.
He represented the Republic of Ireland three times before switching his international allegiance to England, for whom he has been capped 41 times, playing in all five matches at the World Cup last year.
Declan Rice, who replaced Mark Noble as the Hammers’ before the start of this season, has spent his entire Professional career with the club. The Gunners made bids for Brighton’s Moises Caicedo in January transfer Windows and ultimately ended up signing Jorginho from London rivals Chelsea. After the victory West Ham United in the Europa conference league against Fiorentina with 2-1.
Rice has one year left on his contract, although West have the option to extend that until the summer of 2025, leaving them in a strong position to negotiate a substantial transfer fee. “You can’t ask for a man who has committed more to us this season,” Sullivan said.
“In due course, he has to get on and we have to get a replacement – or several replacements. It’s not something we want to happen. We offered him £200,000 a week 18 months ago. He turned it down. David Sullivan had spoken about the Declan Rice’s exit from the club after Europa conference league final.
“It’s cost him £10m to stay at West Ham in that time. And he wants to go. You can’t keep a player who doesn’t want to be there. The offers will start to come today.
“There are three or four clubs who have shown interest but, out of respect to West Ham, while we’re still playing, you don’t make offers for players.” “He set his heart on going and in due course he has to get on and we have to get a replacement.”
“It is not something we wanted to happen. We offered him £200,000 a week 18 months ago and he turned it down. You can’t keep a player who doesn’t want to be there. Arsenal had plans on signing Jurrien Timber for 30 millions Euros.
“I think the offers will start to come. Three or four clubs have shown interest but out of respect to West Ham, while we’re still playing, you don’t make offers for players.”
