West Ham United: Arsenal ‘red hot’ favourites to sign Declan Rice amid £80m development
Arsenal are now “red hot” favourites to sign Declan Rice with the West Ham United midfielder set to cost £80million-plus, according to The Mirror.
According to the Telegraph (17 April), Newcastle had shown interest in the 24-year-old, who looks set to depart the London Stadium this summer.
However, The Mirror now claim (pg 50, 18 April) that the Gunners are now in pole position to sign the England international with Mikel Arteta keen to add to his squad for the start of the 2023/24 season.
Inevitable
Rice’s exit from West Ham is now looking like a formality and who can blame the England international for wanting to move on to pastures new? He’s played in some of the biggest games on the international stage and has shown he can mix it with some of the best on the planet.
Considering his age now does seem like the right moment for the 24-year-old to move on. Arsenal would be a sensible choice for Rice. Chelsea have been a long-term admirer but the West Londoners are currently in turmoil, with Todd Boehly’s revolution not going to plan.
From West Ham’s perspective, this is the club’s last chance to recoup somewhere near their valuation of Rice. His contract situation means his value will only decrease further if he remains at the London Stadium for another year. After the ambitious summer of 2022, funds will need to be generated to allow West Ham to be active in the transfer market.
Selling their talismanic captain could be the catalyst for another squad overhaul at the London Stadium.