Arsenal make ‘record’ £105m bid for top target Rice as they respond to Man City with ‘massive’ offer
According to David Ornstein, Arsenal have submitted a ‘record’ offer for West Ham United star Declan Rice amid interest from rivals Man City.
The England international has been Arsenal’s main transfer target since the January transfer window closed and they are moving quickly to sign him ahead of next season.
The Gunners have already had two bids for Rice rejected, who is valued at around £100m by West Ham. He is under contract until 2024 but they have the option to extend his deal by a further year.
In recent months, Arsenal have been considered to be the side leading to sign Rice, who has also been targeted by Chelsea and Man Utd.
But Man City have joined their Premier League rivals in targeting Rice and West Ham rejected a £90m bid from Pep Guardiola’s side on Tuesday morning.
At this point, City had offered £80m plus £10m in add-ons, while Arsenal’s best proposal was a club-record bid of £75m plus £15m in add-ons.
Though Arsenal have now gone one step further. According to The Athletic’s reliable reporter, they submitted a ‘massive offer’ for Rice on Tuesday night.
Ornstein has revealed that this ‘improved’ third bid is worth up to £105m. It is ‘hoped’ that this offer – which is £100m plus £5m in add-ons – will ‘fend off rivals Man City’.
If this deal goes through, it will be a ‘record fee for a British player’. City set the current record when they spent £100m to sign Jack Grealish from Aston Villa.
READ MORE: Arsenal have played Rice game perfectly so far as rejected Manchester City bid underwhelms us all
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has since added that West Ham are ‘waiting to hear’ if Man City return with a counter-offer for Rice.
Speaking after West Ham won the Europa Conference League, Hammers chairman David Sullivan revealed that they have made a “promise” to Rice that he will be sold this summer.
“I think it has to be,” Sullivan told talkSPORT.
“We promised him he could go. He set his heart on going. You can’t ask for a man who has committed more to us this season.
“In due course, he has to get on and we have to get a replacement — or several replacements.
“It’s not something we want to happen. We offered him £200,000 a week 18 months ago. He turned it down. It’s cost him £10million to stay at West Ham in that time (in lost wages). And he wants to go.
“You can’t keep a player who doesn’t want to be there.”
READ MORE: Man Utd made huge transfer mistakes after Manchester City’s Declan Rice tactic
