Manchester City's Shock Bid for West Ham Captain Declan Rice, Leaving Arsenal in the Dust

Manchester City have expressed their interest in signing West Ham captain Declan Rice as they prepare for the potential departure of their treble-winning captain Ilkay Gundogan, who is reportedly close to joining Barcelona. Despite already having a deal in place with Chelsea for Mateo Kovacic, City are keen on securing the services of the England international.

Manchester City, who clinched the Premier League title last season, are now aiming to outdo Arsenal in securing Rice's signature after the Gunners' unsuccessful attempts with bids of £80m and £90m, both of which were turned down by West Ham.

City's interest in Rice has heightened the chances of a fierce bidding competition, with both Arsenal and themselves vying for his signature and potentially meeting West Ham's desired fee.

We News understands two "big" offers are expected to be made for Rice on Thursday.

Arsenal are preparing to make a third bid for Rice after seeing their opening two offers rejected.

The London clubs are actively engaged in positive negotiations, focusing on finalizing the fee and payment structure of the deal. Additionally, Manchester United has expressed their interest in Rice, leading to internal discussions on the feasibility of approving a potential deal.

Due to the Financial Fair Play regulations, it is highly unlikely that Manchester United will be able to allocate a significant portion of their budget towards the acquisition of a single player. This limitation is further compounded by the fact that the club has identified other areas in need of reinforcement.

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