Declan Rice, the talented midfielder from West Ham, has been linked with a move to Arsenal this summer. The England international was recently seen picking up a signed Arsenal shirt from Gunners captain Martin Odegaard, which has sparked rumors that the 24-year-old may be joining the club.
Despite interest from other Premier League clubs such as Manchester United and Chelsea, Arsenal is growing confident of signing Rice. The Hammers are expected to sell Rice at the end of the season due to his unwillingness to sign a contract extension at the east London club.
Arsenal has made Rice their top summer transfer target, and Mikel Arteta is believed to be a huge fan of the midfielder. The Gunners have already made plans regarding where Rice would fit in their system at the Emirates.
However, Arsenal will have to pay a huge fee to sign Rice, with West Ham reportedly using Chelsea’s £106.8m deal to sign Enzo Fernandez earlier this year as a price guide. Arsenal legend Paul Merson has urged his old club not to overpay for Rice and feels he is worth closer to £60m.
Jack Wilshere, another former Arsenal midfielder, has backed Arsenal to complete a deal for Rice this summer, insisting that the West Ham skipper would be the perfect fit for the Gunners. Andy Carroll, who played with Rice at West Ham, has also advised the midfielder to join Arsenal instead of Chelsea or United.
Despite the interest from other clubs, Rice may prefer to stay in the Premier League. Carroll said, “We all know he needs to go to a top club. I can’t see him going outside of England, but he should go to a top-three or top-two club. I’d like to see Declan at Arsenal to be honest.”
West Ham wants Chelsea star to replace Rice if he leaves, while Man Utd legend has told Rice that Liverpool is a better option than Arsenal. However, it remains to be seen where Rice will end up at the end of the season.
In conclusion, Declan Rice has been linked with a move to Arsenal this summer, and the Gunners are growing confident of signing the midfielder despite interest from other Premier League clubs. While West Ham may demand a huge fee for Rice, Arsenal legend Paul Merson has urged his old club not to overpay for the midfielder. It remains to be seen where Rice will end up at the end of the season, but he may prefer to stay in the Premier League and join a top club like Arsenal.