Breaking: Arsenal Secures West Ham Captain Declan Rice After Agreeing on Payment Terms - Exclusive Details!

Arsenal have reached an agreement to acquire the services of West Ham United captain, Declan Rice, following the resolution of a compromise regarding the structure of the £105m deal on Tuesday night.

Sources indicate that Arsenal will provide an initial payment of £100m spread over a span of two years. Informants informed We News that Rice is scheduled to undergo a medical examination this week, in preparation for the signing of a long-term contract.

The transfer is set to break Arsenal's club transfer record, which was previously held by the signing of Nicolas Pepe from Lille for £72m in 2019. Furthermore, it will stand as the highest transfer fee ever between two British clubs, falling just short of the British transfer record of £106.8m paid by Chelsea for midfielder Enzo Fernandez in January of this year.

What Rice adds to Arsenal and where he fits

Rice's remarkable journey at West Ham is coming to an end, as he bids farewell after a decade-long stint at the club. From a promising youth-team talent, he gradually rose through the ranks to eventually become the esteemed captain of the Hammers. Over the course of his time with the team, Rice proudly represented the club in 245 matches, starting from his inaugural appearance with the first team in 2017. And in what turned out to be his final game for West Ham, Rice led his teammates to a historic victory, clinching the Europa Conference League title and bringing home the club's first trophy in an astonishing 47 years.

During Arsenal's 2-2 draw with West Ham at the London Stadium in April, a pivotal moment occurred just after the half-hour mark that further solidified the case for a potential move for Declan Rice. At this point in the game, Mikel Arteta's team had a comfortable two-goal advantage and appeared to be on their way to securing a victory that would have propelled them six points ahead of Manchester City. However, everything took a dramatic turn when Rice showcased his astute decision-making skills, leaving Arsenal recognizing his immense value and aiming to secure him as their most expensive signing in history.

Rice, observing Kieran Tierney preparing to deliver a pass to Thomas Partey, launched into a rapid sprint to pressurize the Ghanaian midfielder. He successfully intercepted the ball just in the nick of time, advancing with possession towards the penalty box and locating the advancing Lucas Paqueta.

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How Declan Rice compares to Arsenal's midfielders

Content: The subsequent penalty, earned by Paqueta and converted by Said Benrahma, altered the game's momentum in favor of Arsenal's opponents. It may have even had an impact on the title race. And it all began with Rice.

This sequence of play displayed several attributes that make Rice extremely desirable to Arsenal: his ability to anticipate and seize opportunities, his quickness and strength to win possession, and his composure to set up his teammate and draw the penalty.

Where does Rice's transfer fee rank?

In another remarkable move, Declan Rice follows closely behind as the second most expensive player, surpassing the £100m mark that Manchester City had previously paid for Jack Grealish in August 2021.

It would also be only the third time a English club has paid over £100m for a player.

Explained: How Arsenal can afford big-money summer signings

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire asserts that Arsenal's apparent increased readiness to invest is a direct reflection of the recognition and support given to Mikel Arteta. "In terms of financial capability, Arsenal is currently in a highly advantageous position," he shared with We News.

The reason is Arsenal has successfully brought their wages under control.

Arsenal now spends £150m to £170m less on wages compared to Liverpool, Manchester United, and Manchester City in 2018. This financial flexibility allows Arsenal to confidently enter the market and make new player acquisitions without excessive concerns.

Furthermore, they stand to gain further advantages from the inclusion of Champions League fixtures, higher ticket prices, and a minimum prize money of £50m merely for participating in the competition. Consequently, when considering these factors collectively, it is likely that they still possess some flexibility regarding their expenditure during the current transfer window.

When questioned about any strategy changes at Arsenal, he responded by acknowledging a shift. Arsenal went through a period of decline where they failed to secure Champions League qualification. However, they have successfully alleviated the financial burden by offloading high-earning players such as Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. This has provided them with the opportunity to enter the market competitively and aim to equal the standards set by other clubs.

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Content: Arsenal, also known as the Bank of England club, has a long-standing reputation for financial stability. However, there has been a notable shift in their spending strategy recently. This change can be seen as a reward for Mikel Arteta's exceptional ability to lead the team back into the Champions League, which is highly beneficial in terms of generating increased revenue.

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.