Arsenal Transfer News: Arsenal Make Record-Breaking £105m Offer for Declan Rice
In a significant development, Arsenal has made an audacious move by submitting an enhanced bid amounting to a remarkable £105 million for the highly talented midfielder of West Ham United, Declan Rice. As reported by The Athletic, the Gunners have now put forward an improved offer of £100 million upfront accompanied by an additional £5 million in add-ons. If this deal comes to fruition, not only would it surpass Arsenal’s current record transfer fee of £72 million for Nicolas Pepe in 2019 but also establish a new benchmark as the highest British player transfer ever recorded, surpassing the £100 million that City paid for Jack Grealish in 2021.
Arsenal’s initial offer of £90 million, which included £75 million upfront and an additional £15 million in add-ons, was declined by West Ham recently. Not long after, Manchester City joined in with their own formal offer of £80 million plus £10 million in add-ons, but it too was dismissed. Determined to secure the services of their top summer target, Arsenal has increased their bid. At present, Rice is under contract with West Ham until 2024, with a potential one-year extension option.
Declan Rice has spent his entire, although short, professional career at West Ham. With an impressive tally of 254 appearances across various competitions, Rice has firmly established himself as one of the top midfielders in the Premier League. Recently, he led West Ham to glory in the Europa Conference League, securing the club’s first European silverware in over five decades.
Following West Ham’s Europa Conference League triumph, chairman David Sullivan expressed his belief that Rice had played his last match for the club, affirming the player’s desire to seek new horizons. Arsenal’s interest in Rice is indicative of their determination to compete with Manchester City for the Premier League in the upcoming 2023-24 season. Furthermore, there are speculations that the Gunners are close to announcing the acquisition of Chelsea forward Kai Havertz as another noteworthy summer transfer, with a reported £65 million deal almost complete.
(All images via Getty)
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