Everything set! Fee agreed – Arsenal set to announce their first signing in the coming days with £200,000-a-week salary agreed
Arsenal target Declan Rice wants to settle his future early, CBS reporter Ben Jacobs has informed GIVEMESPORT.
The midfielder will be allowed to leave West Ham United this summer and the Emirates is thought to be his preferred destination.
Arsenal transfer news — Declan Rice
West Ham chairman David Sullivan recently confirmed that Rice has played his last game for the Hammers.
Speaking to talkSPORT after his club’s 2-1 win against Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final, Sullivan said: “We promised him he could go. He set his heart on going. You can’t ask for a man who has committed more to us this season.
“In due course, he has to get on and we have to get a replacement — or several replacements. It’s not something we want to happen. We offered him £200,000-a-week 18 months ago. He turned it down.”
According to The Telegraph, Arsenal have now moved a step closer to signing Rice in a potential £92m deal.
What has Ben Jacobs said about Declan Rice and Arsenal?
Jacobs thinks Arsenal may be able to land Rice soon because of the player’s desire to sort out his future quickly.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the journalist said: “Arsenal will want to move fast to make sure another suitor doesn’t come in because [Mykhailo] Mudryk wanted to join Arsenal and he joined Chelsea. Rice has a priority of Arsenal, but there is still a deal that needs to be done with West Ham and because Arsenal are disciplined to protect their model, the only fear at this point will be that West Ham are bullish because they somehow get a bidding war.
“For now, if Arsenal move fast and place a competitive offer, they may be able to get this one done quickly because Rice has a strong desire to settle his future early, and West Ham accept that he will leave the football club for the right offer.”
Who could gazump Arsenal?
As Jacobs mentioned, Arsenal have already lost Mudryk to Chelsea, and the same thing happening with Rice doesn’t seem impossible.
According to 90min, the Blues are considering a double swoop for the 24-year-old and Brighton & Hove Albion’s Moisés Caicedo due to their need for midfield reinforcements.
This time around, however, you would back Arsenal to come out as victors. The Gunners can offer Rice Champions League football, while the England international also seems keen to join Mikel Arteta’s side.
