West Ham United transfer news: Arsenal in pole position for Declan Rice, expect no issues with personal terms
Arsenal have moved into pole position for the signature of Declan Rice and expect no issues negotiating personal terms with the West Ham United captain, according to the The Daily Star.
Rice, 24, is widely expected to leave the London Stadium this summer, with Fabrizio Romano reporting that “all parties” believe the midfielder will leave the club this summer.
The Daily Star shared (6 May) that the Gunners are likely to offer a contract that will quadruple the England international’s current wages and make him one of the highest paid players at the Emirates Stadium.
“And Arsenal, second in the league and already guaranteed their first campaign in five years among Europe’s elite next season, have put themselves in pole position to secure his signature,” they wrote.
“That will be a blow to others interested in Rice, including Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City.
“Agreeing personal terms with the homegrown Irons leader is not expected to be an issue for the North Londoners, who are prepared to make him one of their highest paid stars.
“At present Rice earns a basic £60,000-a-week with the Hammers but that will likely quadruple when he switches allegiance to the Emirates.”
Moving closer
It seems that Rice is moving closer and closer to a move to Arsenal this summer, with the Emirates Stadium emerging as the number one destination in recent months.
It comes as no surprise that the Gunners are willing to quadruple Rice’s current wages after spending frugally in January and missing out on the likes of Moises Caicedo and Mykhailo Mudryk.
Unfortunately for West Ham United fans, Rice is extremely unlikely to remain at the London Stadium beyond this season, and the club must start to prepare for his imminent exit.
Ensuring they have adequate replacements in the middle of the park is going to be crucial if David Moyes remains manager next term, with the loss to Manchester City an example of the little options they possess right now.
Beyond Rice and Tomas Soucek, Flynn Downes is the only out-and-out central midfielder who looks Premier League-ready, an extremely worrying weakness in the Hammers’ first-team squad.