Transfer Exclusive: Inside Declan Rice's Sensational Move to Arsenal and the Real Reason Manchester City Was Left Stunned

Arsenal has broken their transfer record by sealing a £105m deal to acquire Declan Rice from West Ham. This move, which was also pursued by Manchester City and Manchester United, has resulted in Rice signing a five-year contract (with the possibility of an additional 12 months) at the Emirates Stadium.

Here, News reporter Dharmesh Sheth details Arsenal's enduring fascination with Rice, highlighting the crucial influence of Mikel Arteta in persuading him to make the move. Moreover, he delves into how this deal signifies a promising outlook for the club...

Why Caicedo was targeted first

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Arsenal bid for Moises Caicedo in January before switching focus to Rice

"Arsenal's interest in Rice has not just come around this summer," says Sheth. "This started in January, maybe even earlier.

Mikel Arteta has been a longtime admirer of him.

Arsenal expressed their interest in January, but due to West Ham's involvement in a relegation battle and the Europa Conference League, a deal was not feasible at the time.

Arsenal redirected their focus to Moises Caicedo due to their urgent need for a midfielder. During January, they intensified their pursuit of Caicedo, evident from their several bids, surpassing their pursuit of Rice.

"The last of those bids was worth around £70m, but Brighton said he was not for sale, so Arsenal then decided to hold off on a big signing and focus on the summer window."

How Rice emerged as the priority

"The summer transfer window highlighted midfield as a top priority position for Arsenal," Sheth comments.

"It was evident early on that Rice garnered more interest compared to Caicedo, as he emerged as the primary target for this transfer window."

Observing the developments on the West Ham side proved intriguing.

Despite having a remaining contract term of only one year (albeit with the provision of an additional year), Rice's tenure concluded immediately following the Europa Conference League final, according to David Sullivan.

The question was whether this would affect the price, as when a club declares, 'the player is no longer in our plans,' another interested club may consider negotiating the transfer fee, knowing that the player will eventually leave.

West Ham relied on the hope that multiple clubs would show interest, triggering a competitive bidding situation and ultimately increasing the price. This strategy proved successful when Manchester City entered the scene.

West Ham consistently insisted on a minimum amount of £100m, and their strategic approach, even if initially questioned, has undeniably proven successful. Arsenal has now agreed to a total payment of £105m for Rice, thereby fulfilling West Ham's desire.

Why Rice favoured Arsenal over Man City

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Man City pulled out of the running after seeing a £90m bid rejected

"I believe Arteta played a significant part in persuading Rice to join the Emirates Stadium," states Sheth.

"Transfer negotiations are inherently complicated and sensitive due to the constant uncertainty surrounding the timing of initial interest."

"Does it directly go through the club? Because, to our understanding, these procedures typically involve going from club to club first and then the player is offered the project.

"However, it became evident from the beginning that Rice's preference was to join Arsenal, which became more apparent when Manchester City entered the picture.

"Everyone presumed that City's arrival at the negotiating table would lead to an inevitable outcome, yet I believe Rice had firmly committed to joining Arsenal.

"Furthermore, there are additional elements influencing his decision. It encompasses the enticing project in place alongside the impressive managerial presence."

However, it remains uncertain how Rice truly felt about staying in London as a human being. Considering he has a young family, it is likely that this factor influenced his decision to a certain extent. Nevertheless, it was primarily the allure of the football project at Arsenal that enticed him.

"He must have been aware of Arsenal's achievements in the previous season, and during discussions with the club's representatives, I'm confident they would have persuaded him by emphasizing his importance as the focal player of the team. Could Manchester City have offered him the same assurance, considering they already have Rodri occupying his position?"

Arsenal have shattered their transfer record to make it happen. This deal marks the largest transfer ever between two British clubs, with a transfer fee slightly short of the British record by approximately 1.5 million. Consequently, Arsenal's intention is not to acquire Rice for experimental purposes or to gauge his performance in various positions.

"They are building a team around him."

What Rice's arrival means for Arsenal

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Mikel Arteta is a long-term admirer of Rice

"Arsenal are getting these big deals done quickly and efficiently, with Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber already signed," continues Sheth.

Intriguingly, considering the previous season, they successfully completed all their business at an early stage too - and we're referring to players with the stature of Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus.

I believe this may have influenced players who are contemplating whether or not to join Arsenal, as they are able to attract players of this caliber.

Keep in mind that Zinchenko and Jesus were recruited from a team that had already secured the Premier League title and a spot in the Champions League. In contrast, the club they moved to had just finished fifth and did not have Champions League football.

Nevertheless, Arteta and Edu are successfully convincing them to believe in the project.

The current state of Arsenal reflects their stability. The board, Edu, and Arteta all share a common vision regarding goals and Arteta is consistently receiving support.

During news conferences, Arteta consistently mentions that he hasn't encountered a player who would reject Arsenal.

Of course, that assumption could be incorrect. It's possible that we are not aware of every player involved. However, regarding Rice, he has considered the idea that if the team is able to attract players like Jesus and Zinchenko, then there must be something substantial happening.

Now, with Rice joining the team, other players may begin to think, "If Declan Rice is here, he must have determined that this project is worth being involved in."

"It feels like this Arsenal project is only going one way and that way is up."

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