Ornstein reveals Arsenal have made ‘opening offer’ for Rice with Man City ‘actively exploring’ transfer
The Athletic journalist David Ornstein has revealed that Arsenal have now made their “opening offer” to sign West Ham midfielder Declan Rice.
The Gunners are hoping to land Rice this summer with Mikel Arteta and technical director Edu making the England international their top priority for the upcoming transfer window.
Rice has had another brilliant season for the Hammers and topped it off last week by winning the Europa Conference League in a 2-1 win over Serie A side Fiorentina in the final.
There have been rumours that Rice could cost Arsenal as much as £110m this summer but a report today insisted that a £100m ‘compromise’ is likely to be found.
A report in The Guardian recently insisted that the Gunners were ‘closing in’ on a deal for Rice and now Ornstein claims that Arsenal have ‘made an opening offer to sign’ the West Ham midfielder.
Ornstein adds:
‘This first move follows talks between Arsenal executive Tim Lewis and West Ham counterpart Karren Brady at the Premier League AGM in Hampshire on Wednesday, although sporting director Edu and director of football operations Richard Garlick are leading the process.
‘Premier League champions Manchester City are also actively exploring an approach of their own for the 24-year-old.’
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With news of interest from other clubs, including Man City, Arsenal legend Paul Merson warns the Gunners that they must sign Rice to be successful next term.
On what Arsenal need to improve on last season, Merson told the Derry Journal: “They’ve got to get Declan Rice to start with, 100 per cent. Get Declan Rice.
“I also think they need a centre forward, I mean like a proper out and out centre forward. Gabriel Jesus is a No. 10 for me. And they need another defender. When Saliba got injured that’s where it all went wrong this year. If you look at it, they were still scoring goals but they just started letting in goals left, right and centre.”
When asked if anyone can knock Manchester City off top spot next season, Merson replied: “No, I don’t.
“It’s going to be hard for these teams to get into the top four. You have Arsenal, you have Newcastle, who are going to buy; Liverpool, Chelsea, Man United. I’m sure Ange Postecoglou will make Tottenham better, I really do. I think he is a very good manager and I hope he gets given a proper chance.
“You are talking top four for most of these clubs rather than winning the league at the moment.
“Everybody else has got to try. They’ve all got money, Man City have money and spent it but it’s the way they play. I mean, (John) Stones comes into midfield (in the FA Cup final). He’s a centre-half and he’s beyond Rodri and Gundogan. You’re thinking, if Man United get the ball it’s going to be one on one, but it wasn’t.
“They are so brainy, so clever and you have to have football brains. Guardiola collects football brains. There is no one who doesn’t get it. You have to get it. If you don’t have a football brain you are going to struggle at Man City badly.”
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