Declan Rice medical not yet booked as Fabrizio Romano responds to possible West Ham United and Arsenal transfer collapse
Suggestions that West Ham could walk away from talks with Arsenal over the deal to sell Declan Rice are “not accurate” according to Fabrizio Romano.
Reports from Claret & Hugh and Six Foot Two on Monday (3 July) suggested there had been little progress towards an agreement on the payment structure of the £105million fee, or additional requests from the Hammers.
The Irons were said to be “fully prepared” to walk away from the deal, with a club source revealing that there was still slim hope that the 24-year-old stays at the London Stadium.
But Romano reported on Tuesday morning in his Caught Offside Substack: “No need for Arsenal fans to worry – it’s very close. I will tell you ‘here we go’ when it’s the right time, but we’re not quite there yet.”
The Italian says that talks are still “very advanced” on the “final points” of the payment terms, and while a medical has not yet been booked it will “happen in the next few days if everything goes to plan”.
Expectation
Having reached this stage is going to take a major hitch to derail such a major transfer and by the sounds of things that is still unlikely.
Days of delays will always increase the fears that something could go wrong, and the fact that it has taken almost a week after the two clubs entered into talks on the details on 28 June suggests it hasn’t been entirely straight forward.
But West Ham are asking for huge money in a short space of time, and while it is their prerogative to do so it won’t be easy for Arsenal to deliver.
The Irons have to retain the option of walking away from the talks otherwise they have a weak negotiating position, and while they no-doubt will do that in extreme circumstances it doesn’t sound like they are on the brink yet.
Logic suggests that Rice is unveiled at the Emirates at some point in the coming weeks but until an announcement is made and he is pictured signing a contract it leaves the door open for a dramatic collapse.
All sorts of knock-on effects would be caused for both clubs if that were to happen to it is now in everyone’s interest to get the deal done, but the chance that it proves impossible, however slim, will keep fans on edge for as long as it remains.
In other West Ham news, David Moyes has been tipped by one journalist to be a key benefit to one Premier League player who could be brought in as an “exciting” replacement once Rice is gone.