West Ham Stands Firm as Arsenal Fails with £90m Bid for Captain Rice

Arsenal's recent attempt to acquire Declan Rice from West Ham has been unsuccessful, as their second bid of £90m has been turned down. This proposed fee, surpassing the club's previous record of £72m for Nicolas Pepe in 2019, consisted of £75m guaranteed and an additional £15m in add-ons.

Arsenal offered to pay the initial fee in installments over a span of four years, with additional payments based on meeting certain conditions to be spread out over five years.

However, this offer is significantly lower than West Ham's valuation of £120m. Nevertheless, West Ham may consider selling for a lower amount if Arsenal includes a player in the deal.

Manchester City and Manchester United have also shown keen interest in the 24-year-old player.

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Declan Rice might be looking for a new club this summer as he considers leaving the London Stadium. Having taken over the captaincy from Mark Noble at the beginning of the season, Rice has remained loyal to the Hammers throughout his entire professional career.

Mikel Arteta, despite securing the signing of Jorginho from London rivals Chelsea, still expresses a strong desire to bolster his midfield options. Throughout the previous season, Arteta heavily relied on Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka, and Martin Odegaard as his primary midfielders.

Where would Rice fit in at Arsenal?

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Declan Rice could be on the move from the London Stadium this summer

Arsenal received a clear affirmation of Declan Rice's potential when, during their 2-2 draw with West Ham at the London Stadium in April, an undeniable display of his skills occurred just after the half-hour mark.

Mikel Arteta's team had a comfortable two-goal lead and appeared to be on their way to a win that could have put them six points ahead of Manchester City. However, everything took a turn when a player they are eager to secure as their record signing demonstrated quick-thinking.

Rice noticed that Kieran Tierney was preparing to deliver a pass to Thomas Partey in the deep Arsenal half. Without hesitation, he sprinted towards Tierney, successfully intercepting the ball just in the nick of time. He then swiftly carried the ball into the box and expertly found a charging Lucas Paqueta.

The momentum of the game, as well as the potential outcome of the title race, took a turn when Paqueta won a penalty and Said Benrahma successfully converted it. This pivotal moment was initiated by Rice, who had previously displayed a proactive approach in pressuring Partey. Jamie Carragher, a pundit on co-commentary, observed that Rice's intention was to assert his dominance over his opponent. Such determination may even lead to Rice challenging for a spot on the Arsenal team in the near future.

Arsenal in talks for Ajax defender Timber

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Jurrien Timber was targeted by Man Utd last summer

Discussions between Arsenal and Ajax regarding the acquisition of defender Jurrien Timber have been characterized as "exceedingly positive," indicating a mutual eagerness to reach an agreement.

According to reports, Arsenal have already turned down one bid for Timber, who has a remaining two-year contract and is currently estimated to be worth approximately €50m (£42.8m). However, the club is currently internally assessing the player's value and considering different payment structures.

The Gunners have been keeping a close eye on Timber since January, as they aim to enhance competition in their defensive positions.

Additionally, the club is actively pursuing deals for West Ham's captain Rice and Chelsea's forward Kai Havertz.

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