Arsenal have been linked with Declan Rice throughout the summer transfer window with the the West Ham captain the club’s number one target ahead of next season.
So where do Arsenal stand in terms of the progress made in their efforts to sign the player with pre-season just under two weeks away.
Arsenal made an opening bid for Declan Rice about a week ago after multiple reports since January suggested they would make a move for the player. This bid was valued at £80 million which was rejected by West Ham in a couple of minutes. The Guardian reported that the reason Arsenal opened the transfer with an £80 million bid is because they were told that it would be enough to get the player. However since West Ham won the UEFA Conference League, the players’ fee has increased which has caused a delay in negotiations.
Following this, it had been reported that Arsenal would make a second bid. This bid was submitted on 20th June as reported by David Ornstein from The Athletic. This bid was valued up to £90 million – £75m + £15m being in the form of add-ons. However, West Ham also rejected this bid from the Gunners stating that they wanted at least £100m for the England international.
Arsenal’s attempts to sign Declan Rice are being led by sporting director, Edu Gaspar and director of football operations, Richard Garlick. They are working hard to come to an agreement with West Ham over the transfer fee. However with two bids being rejected a lot of Arsenal fans are seemingly getting concerned about losing out on the player.
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Arsenal are confident they will agree a fee for Declan Rice soon. [Image Credit: Getty Images]
West Ham also tried to start a bidding war for the 24-year-old but failed to do so as the player has his heart set on joining Arsenal this summer and no one else. Bayern Munich were interested in signing Declan Rice but pulled out because of his wish to stay in the Premier League. Declan Rice gave his word to Mikel Arteta at the start of the summer and that hasn’t changed, with the Gunners set to submit a third bid for their number one target by the end of the week.
Arsenal are confident their third bid will be the one that closes the deal as they prepare an improved payment structure and more money upfront to offer West Ham.
A reason as to why Arsenal are making bids below West Ham’s demands could be that they are trying to reduce the overall price. Arsenal know the player only wants to move to the Emirates this summer which gives the Gunners the advantage when negotiating with West Ham.
Arsenal have been linked with many big names in the past and have ended up missing out on the player. The latest example being Mykhaylo Mudryk in January. Arsenal had two bids rejected for the Ukrainian before Chelsea swooped in and stole the player. This is why so many Arsenal fans are nervous about the Rice situation.
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However the Gunners also had two rejected bids from Manchester City for Gabriel Jesus before they ended up agreeing on a fee. The Brazilian rejected the likes of Chelsea, who had Champions League football to offer him, because he had his heart set on joining Mikel Arteta at Arsenal. The club are confident Declan Rice’s preference won’t change, which is why Arsenal are trying to get the best deal possible for their potential record signing.
Arsenal have been on an upward trajectory since Mikel Arteta took over as head coach. They even challenged league giants Manchester CIty in the 2022/23 season for the Premier League title which very few people predicted at the start of the campaign. It is very clear that the club is heading in the right direction which is why so many players are attracted to the North London outfit this summer.
Mikel Arteta is leading one of Europe’s most exciting projects and the Arsenal boss is confident Declan Rice will be a part of it at the Emirates Stadium next season. With many new long-term contract extensions being agreed, as well as new signings such as Champions League winner Kai Havertz, Arsenal are looking to push again for the Premier League title next season and hopefully this time go one step further.
Arsenal want Declan Rice and it seems like Rice wants Arsenal. The club are confident the deal will be wrapped up soon. The Gunners are also close to signing Jurrien Timber from Ajax and are keeping a close eye on Romeo Lavia from Southampton.
NEXT ARTICLE: Arsenal focusing on securing four more deals after Declan Rice move is ‘completed’.
