Manchester City and Arsenal are joint favourites to sign West Ham and England midfielder Declan Rice this summer, according to talkSPORT BET. The 24-year-old has been in high demand for several transfer windows and is just a few appearances short of 250 for the Hammers. With West Ham finishing 14th in the league and just a year left on his contract, Rice is expected to leave east London this summer. Arsenal have reportedly had two bids rejected for the midfielder, while Manchester City have recently shown interest. Bayern Munich are also in the mix, with odds of 3/1 to sign Rice.
Arsenal’s Pursuit of Rice
Arsenal are currently the favourites to secure Rice’s signature, as the Gunners look to build a squad that can compete for titles in next season’s Premier League and Champions League. Rice would add a perfect blend of youth and experience to Mikel Arteta’s dressing room, having been a crucial part of the England side that reached the final of Euro 2020 and the quarter finals at the last World Cup. Arsenal’s current central midfielders, Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka, Jorginho and Mohamed Elneny will all be in their 30s by the start of next season, and all bar Partey have just a year left on their contract. It seems Xhaka has played his last game for the club.
Manchester City’s Interest in Rice
Manchester City have recently put their cap in the ring and are prepared to challenge Arsenal in their pursuit of the England star. Pep Guardiola’s treble winners have announced the departure of central midfielder Ilkay Gundogan to Barcelona this summer, and holding midfielder Kalvin Phillips hasn’t had the season he would have been expecting following his signing from Leeds 12 months ago. The Citizens are reportedly interested in signing Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea, another central midfielder, but have also announced their interest in West Ham’s captain and leader. It’s unknown where, if at all, Rice would fit into Guardiola’s starting eleven, but the 24-year-old would almost certainly be guaranteed to win trophies at the Etihad, though game time could be harder to come by compared to at the Emirates.
Bayern Munich’s Interest in Rice
Bayern Munich have recently put their hat in the mix to sign the 41-time England international, and are as short as 3/1 to sign the midfielder. Managed by former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel, the Bundesliga champions appear keen on bringing Rice to the six-time champions of Europe. The German side won their 11th consecutive league title in the dying minutes on Saturday in a dramatic final day of the season, and will want to improve their squad depth to challenge in all three competitions after a disappointing campaign in the cup and in Europe.
Other Clubs’ Interest in Rice
Manchester United’s intent contention to sign Rice has eased off significantly, with their odds drifting from 3/1 to 12/1, as Erik ten Hag looks to improve his side after an impressive first season at Old Trafford. Chelsea have long been linked with a move to bring the midfielder back to Stamford Bridge, but with their odds drifting from 16/1 to 20/1, that ship seems to have sailed. Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel had been rumoured to be interested in Rice a few weeks ago too, but that interest seems to have cooled, with the odds of moving abroad to a different top five league currently 25/1. Liverpool and Newcastle are slightly further back in the race at 33/1, while Tottenham are very much a long shot at 40/1.
Conclusion
Declan Rice is one of the most sought-after midfielders in Europe, with several top clubs vying for his signature this summer. Arsenal and Manchester City are currently joint favourites, with Bayern Munich not far behind. Rice would add a perfect blend of youth and experience to any squad, having been a crucial part of the England side that reached the final of Euro 2020 and the quarter finals at the last World Cup. With just a year left on his contract and West Ham finishing 14th in the league, this summer looks likely to be the one where Rice finally leaves east London after years of speculation.