With news emerging that Arsenal and West Ham are close to agreeing a deal for Declan Rice, there’s some positive news emerging for Arsenal fans in relation to Manchester City’s pursuit of the player.
In a surprising turn of events, Manchester City have seemingly pulled out of the race to sign West Ham United captain Declan Rice, leaving Arsenal as the front-runner to secure the talented midfielder’s services. The Premier League champions made just one bid for the 24-year-old, while Arsenal has made three proposals, highlighting their determination to land their number one transfer target this summer.
Manchester City’s bid of £90 million for Rice included £80 million as a guaranteed fee, with an additional £10 million in performance and success-related add-ons. However, this proposal was swiftly rejected by West Ham, who were holding out for a higher valuation. Arsenal, not willing to back down, responded with a staggering offer of £105 million for the England star. It is widely expected that West Ham will accept the offer once the payment structure has been agreed upon.
The departure of Manchester City from the race marks a significant development in the pursuit of Declan Rice. The Etihad Stadium officials have confirmed their decision to withdraw from the midfielder’s chase, indicating that they have no plans to engage in a bidding war. This leaves Arsenal and West Ham as the main parties involved in negotiating the deal.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal has submitted an official bid of £100 million plus £5 million in add-ons for Rice. The Gunners are currently working on finalizing the structure of the deal, including payment terms and installments, through discussions with West Ham. This news further solidifies Arsenal’s intention to rebuild their midfield.Â
And now Romano has shared a follow up message that Pep Guardiola’s side are not going to match Arsenal’s bid and have pulled out of the race with the current conditions in place for the transfer.
While Arsenal’s pursuit of Rice intensifies, they have also been active in the transfer market on other fronts. Reports suggest that the Gunners have made a fresh bid of £41.5 million for Ajax defender Jurrien Timber after closing in on the signing of Kai Havertz for a staggering £65 million. These ambitious moves underline Arsenal’s determination to strengthen their squad significantly ahead of the upcoming season.
With Manchester City out of the picture, Arsenal finds themselves in a commanding position to secure the services of Declan Rice. If successful, Rice would become the most expensive British player in history, highlighting Arsenal’s ambition to assemble a competitive squad capable of challenging for major honors.
As the saga unfolds, Arsenal fans eagerly await the outcome of negotiations, hoping to see Declan Rice donning the red and white jersey in the upcoming season. The Gunners’ pursuit of the West Ham captain, coupled with their other ambitious transfer moves, signals a strong intent from the club to make a statement in the Premier League and compete at the highest level.
Manchester City will NOT match Arsenal bid for Declan Rice. Decision made — as they are set to pull out of the race at the current conditions 🚨🔵 #MCFC
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 28, 2023
Arsenal were very confident last night… and they remain very confident today, working on structure of the deal with West Ham. pic.twitter.com/e5HrMrKDVG
