Declan Rice: Arsenal in Pole Position to Sign West Ham Star After Man City Pull Out
The race to sign West Ham captain Declan Rice has taken a dramatic turn, with Arsenal now in pole position to sign the England international. Manchester City have pulled out of the race after submitting a £90m bid which was rejected by the Hammers.
Arsenal’s Third Bid
Arsenal submitted a third bid for Rice late on Tuesday night, which was not immediately accepted by West Ham. Instead, the two clubs entered into advanced negotiations to restructure the payment of the £105m offer.
City’s Withdrawal
Pep Guardiola was keen to bolster his midfield following the departure of Ilkay Gundogan to Barcelona, but the club will not match Arsenal’s £105m bid as that has gone beyond a figure they are willing to pay. Mateo Kovacic joined City in a £25m deal from Chelsea on Tuesday and the Croatia international will go some way to replacing Gundogan. However, City could now enter the race to sign Chelsea and Manchester United target Moises Caicedo from Brighton.
Mikel Arteta’s Triumph
Should Rice join Arsenal, it will be a personal triumph for Mikel Arteta. The Spaniard has laid out significant groundwork towards signing Rice and made a personal effort during the course of last season to speak to the midfielder over a role at the Emirates. City’s financial might and greater guarantee of success threatened Arsenal’s early move but the Gunners are now favourites to sign the England ace.
Conclusion
With Manchester City out of the race, Arsenal are now in pole position to sign Declan Rice from West Ham. The Gunners submitted a third bid for the midfielder late on Tuesday night, and negotiations are ongoing to restructure the payment of the £105m offer. Mikel Arteta has made a personal effort to sign Rice and could be rewarded with a major coup for Arsenal if the deal goes through.