Record-Breaking Transfer: Arsenal Set to Secure Declan Rice for £105m - Summer Sensation!
Declan Rice: Arsenal set to smash British transfer record with a whopping £105m deal for West Ham and England midfielder; Manchester City outbid, Rice led West Ham to Europa Conference League triumph; Legendary Neville values Rice at £50m-£60m; Stay tuned for transfer updates on Sky Sports
Arsenal have reached a £105m agreement with West Ham to acquire their captain, Declan Rice, during the upcoming summer transfer window. However, the details regarding the payment installments are still under discussion between the two clubs. While the structure of payments is yet to be confirmed, Rice is now able to negotiate his personal terms and undergo a medical examination.
The transfer is structured as an initial fee of £100m, with an additional £5m in add-ons based on performance.
The Irons have already turned down two club-record bids from Arsenal. The first bid was valued at £90m, consisting of a £75m fee and £15m in add-ons. The second offer, which was Arsenal's initial bid, was reportedly worth £80m plus add-ons.
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The offer surpasses Arsenal's previous transfer record of £72m, which they paid Lille for Nicolas Pepe in 2019.
Throughout his entire professional career, Rice has been associated with West Ham and concluded it by guiding the club to victory in the Europa Conference League.
Mikel Arteta, in his quest to bolster the midfield, has predominantly relied on the trio of Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka, and Martin Odegaard during the previous season. However, it seems that he has successfully acquired his top priority signing.
Rice's potential record-breaking move in numbers
Rice's amicable Hammers departure
According to Hammers chairman David Sullivan, Rice is able to leave the club due to a gentleman's agreement, even though he still has one year left on his contract. There is also an option to extend it for another 12 months.Rice joined West Ham's academy from Chelsea when he was a teenager and has remained a part of the team since his breakthrough season in 2017-2018. Following Mark Noble's retirement last year, he took on the captaincy role.
Content: The young athlete, aged 24, participated in 50 matches across various competitions during the previous season, contributing to West Ham's 14th place finish in the Premier League. Additionally, he played a pivotal role in securing the Europa Conference League title in Prague. Rice's commitment to West Ham is evident in his impressive record of over 200 games played. Since his international debut in 2019, he has also earned 41 caps for the England national team.
Neville: I would spend £50m-£60m on Rice
Speaking in March, pundit Gary Neville expressed his belief that Declan Rice's value is around £50m-£60m, which is approximately half of the current valuation being discussed by West Ham and Arsenal."I have a great admiration for Declan Rice," Neville stated. "However, in terms of world-class holding midfielders and players of similar caliber, due to his limited goal-scoring and assisting abilities, he falls more into the category of a defensive anchor."
Then, you need to be someone who I believe possesses exceptional ball skills and the ability to connect plays, with a deep understanding of effectively receiving the ball from the defensive line.
In my opinion, currently, it is crucial for Declan to explore other opportunities and strive for progress in his career. He should consider joining a different club to further his development and advancement.
There is significant potential for growth and improvement for Declan to reach the caliber of players like Casemiro, Rodri, and other top performers in his position. However, personally, I would not invest a substantial amount such as £110m or £120m. I believe a more reasonable investment would be around £50m-£60m for Declan Rice, rather than the reported figures.
