Arsenal receive £112m ‘offer’ for star player but Gunners tell PSG they want record-breaking fee
French giants Paris Saint-Germain have submitted an offer to Arsenal for England international Declan Rice, according to reports.
The Gunners invested £105m in Rice in the summer of 2023 as Arsenal paid a club-record fee for a player with West Ham eventually agreeing to a deal.
Rice was influential as Arsenal mounting the closest title challenge under Mikel Arteta in the 2023/24 campaign before falling just two points short of eventual champions Manchester City.
Arsenal look set to be runners-up three seasons in a row as they have fallen eight points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, who could go a further three points ahead if they win their match against Man City on Sunday.
The Gunners have not been helped by an injury crisis in recent weeks with a number of players missing, especially in forward areas.
And Arsenal would be reluctant to lose any of their best players in the summer but PSG – who have massive financial backing – are trying to convince them to sell Rice ahead of the next transfer window.
Spanish publication Fichajes have claimed that PSG have made an ‘offer’ of ‘€135m (£112m) plus bonuses’ for Rice but Arsenal’s ‘position is clear: they do not intend to let him go for an amount less than €160m (£133m – a record sale for the Gunners), a figure they consider fair for a player of Rice’s quality and potential’.
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The report in Spain adds:
‘The England international has been a key part of Mikel Arteta ‘s system since his arrival in north London, standing out for his solidity in midfield, his ability to recover and his tactical intelligence.
‘Although Rice has shown his satisfaction at Arsenal, the PSG offer is a temptation for any player of his level, especially considering the purchasing power of the Parisian club.
‘Arsenal, meanwhile, are determined to keep their star player, aware of the importance of maintaining a competitive team to continue fighting in the Premier League and in European competitions.
‘Rice’s value, who at just 24 is already considered one of the best in his position, continues to rise, and the Gunners know they can demand a considerable amount if they decide to sell him.’
Arsenal midfielder Rice has been available for most of the season but has only managed to hit top form gradually after a slow start to the season from the England international.
Arteta has used Rice in different positions all season, playing as a deep-lying midfielder or in the left-eight role, but former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes recently revealed he is now unsure what the Arsenal midfielder is best at.
Scholes said on The Overlap: “Declan Rice, I’m a little disappointed with him because I think he’s been put in a place where we don’t really know what he is anymore.
“Is he that holding midfield player? Is he the one, I’ve heard people like Gary Neville say he should be the one getting forward, scoring goals.
“I’ve never seen him that way. I think he’s almost become a little bit stuck in not really knowing what he is and Arteta knowing what he is.”
