Arsenal Shocks Football World with Record-Breaking £105m Offer for Declan Rice: Exploring the Biggest Deals in History

Taking a glance at Arsenal's £105m offer for West Ham midfielder Declan Rice, we assess how it measures up against the highest-priced transfers in Premier League history. Recently, Jude Bellingham made history as the costliest English player ever with his £115m transfer from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid. If Rice's potential move to the Emirates comes to fruition, he will follow closely as the second most expensive player, surpassing Jack Grealish's £100m transfer fee to Manchester City in August 2021 by £5m.

The £105m offer could potentially become the second largest investment made by an English club, second only to Enzo Fernandez's £106.8m transfer from Benfica to Chelsea in January. This would also mark the third instance in which an English club has spent over £100m on a player.

The capture of Rice by Arsenal is a significant declaration of ambition for the club's supporters. This transfer deal is particularly noteworthy because it surpasses the previous record-breaking transfer fee of £72m, which was paid for Nicolas Pepe from Lille in 2019, by a substantial margin of £33m. Prior to the acquisition of Pepe, the most expensive signing for the north London team was Alexandre Lacazette, who was acquired from Lyon for £52.7m.

What's the latest?

Arsenal's latest offer, approved on Wednesday night, consists of an initial fee of £100m along with £5m in performance-related additions.

Rice has been the top priority for Arsenal this summer and he desires to join the Gunners as his preferred destination.

City's £90m offer to West Ham was turned down on Tuesday. The proposal consisted of £80m upfront and an additional £10m in add-ons for the English midfielder. However, despite this, Pep Guardiola's team has chosen not to exceed Arsenal's bid of £105m for Rice. Arsenal's offer includes an initial fee of £100m and £5m in add-ons based on performance.

Neville: I would spend £50m to £60m on Rice

As of earlier this month, Arsenal submitted a club-record bid of £90m, which consisted of a £75m fee along with £15m in add-ons. However, their London rivals declined the offer. Prior to this, Arsenal's initial proposal, which was believed to be valued at £80m plus add-ons, was also rejected.

Neville: I would spend £50m to £60m on Rice

In March, Gary Neville, a well-known football pundit, expressed his opinion stating that Rice's market value is approximately £50m to £60m. This valuation stands at around half of the current amount that is being discussed between West Ham and Arsenal.

"I have a great admiration for Declan Rice," stated Neville. "Certainly, Declan possesses an understanding of his position. However, when I assess exceptional defensive midfielders and players of similar caliber, his lack of goal contributions or assists might categorize him more as a defensive enforcer."

Image:

Rice's ball-carrying ability is a major strength

You must also possess exceptional ball skills and the ability to link plays, while understanding the nuances of receiving the ball from the defensive line.

In my opinion, Declan should explore new opportunities in his career by seeking a different team where he can flourish and further develop.

Image:

Rice played a crucial role both defensively and offensively as part of West Ham's left midfield. However, he still has significant room for improvement in order to reach the same level as top players like Casemiro and Rodri in similar positions.

Follow the summer transfer window with Sky Sports

Who will be on the move this summer ahead of the transfer window closing at 11pm on September 1 in England and midnight in Scotland?

"But, in my opinion, I wouldn't allocate an outrageous amount like £110m or £120m... I would rather invest a more reasonable sum ranging from £50m to £60m on acquiring Declan Rice, but the rumored figures are simply too excessive."

Keep up to date with all the latest transfer news and rumours in our dedicated Transfer Centre blog on We' digital platforms. You can also catch up with the ins, outs and analysis on We News.