Declan Rice Writes Emotional Farewell Letter to West Ham Ahead of Arsenal Move
Declan Rice has penned an emotional farewell letter to West Ham fans in which he explains his motivation for joining Arsenal. The England international’s British record transfer was confirmed on Saturday ahead of an official announcement from the Gunners. Mikel Arteta identified the 24-year-old as his No.1 summer target and after lengthy, painstaking negotiations the Arsenal boss has finally landed his man, but only after a mammoth £105million fee was agreed.
A cash injection of that magnitude for the Hammers will help soften the blow of losing their influential skipper and provide some comfort to Rice, who confessed the decision to leave the club at which he has spent the entirety of his professional career was a difficult one. Rice also attracted interest from Manchester City but he only had eyes for Arsenal, whose return to the Champions League after a six-year absence proved a huge motivating factor behind his decision to move across the capital.
In his farewell letter, Rice thanked the West Ham fans for their support over the years and expressed his gratitude for being welcomed into their hearts. He also admitted that it was a difficult decision to leave the club, but ultimately it was about his ambition to play at the highest level of the game. Rice also promised that he would always give 100% every time he pulled on the shirt, as that is how he was brought up at West Ham.
Rice’s move to Arsenal is a major coup for Mikel Arteta and the Gunners, as they have managed to secure one of the most highly-rated midfielders in Europe. Rice is expected to slot straight into the Arsenal midfield and will be a key part of Arteta’s plans for next season.
For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.