Jonty Banks

Tue 27 June 2023 13:10, UK

The race to sign West Ham United captain Declan Rice is heating up after Manchester City lodged their first official bid on Monday night (26 June), and another update suggests that Arsenal are starting to look elsewhere for a midfield warrior this summer.

The Hammers captain is set to leave the London Stadium during this transfer window, with Pep Guardiola’s side lodging their first bid for his services worth £80million plus £10million in bonuses. [Sky Sports, 26 June]

This is in response to the two bids that Arsenal have already had rejected for the 24-year-old’s services.

However, with the Premier League champions officially entering the race to sign Rice, it looks like Arsenal could be resigned to losing out in this transfer tussle, with L’Equipe (via GGFN) reporting that they are eyeing up AS Monaco midfielder Youssouf Fofana as a replacement for Rice.

The former Strasbourg midfielder will be allowed to leave the Principality this summer should a reasonable offer arrive, with the French club valuing his services at around £30million.

The Gunners are now set to battle it out with Newcastle for the 24-year-old’s services, with Manchester City potentially getting the jump in the race to sign Rice.

After the departure of Ilkay Gundogan to Barcelona was confirmed this week and midfield partner Bernardo Silva also tipped with a move to the Saudi Pro League, Guardiola will be looking to strengthen his midfield ranks significantly this summer.

Their first bid for Rice is not likely to be anywhere near enough to force the hand of West Ham United, but the treble winners certainly have the financial might to get this deal done with relative ease if they truly want to.

It seems like the Gunners might be readying themselves for a significant knockback with their interest in Fofana.

When Manchester City enter transfer negotiations for a player, they very rarely miss out.

In other West Ham news, £25.7m offer on cards as English starlet wanted at the London Stadium.