Arsenal face a £30million difference in valuation with West Ham over their attempt to land midfielder Declan Rice this summer. The Hammers captain is courting the attention of some elite clubs as the transfer window looms large, with his dwindling contract playing a large part in a potential exit.
The 24-year-old has impressed over recent seasons, becoming a regular for the England men's national team as well as wearing the armband for his club. Rice hasn't hidden his ambitions to play at a higher level though, hinting at a move away from the Irons at the World Cup.
“One hundred per cent I want to play in the Champions League,” he told the press in December. “For the last two or three years I’ve been saying that. I’ve been playing consistently well for my club and I feel like I really want to keep pushing. I see my friends here who are playing Champions League and for big trophies. You only get one career and at the end you want to look back at what you’ve won and the biggest games you’ve played in.”
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Arsenal's return to Champions League football gives them a boost in that regard as football.london understands the Gunners have made Rice their top priority for this summer. It may take some time before a bid is submitted though, with West Ham still to play their Europa Conference League final later this week.
After that, the opportunity to make a move should open as the north London outfit are expected to make their move, but there remains a separation in valuation. According to the Evening Standard, the Gunners are looking to seal a move for roughly £90million, while the Hammers are looking at £120million.
It's a £30million difference that'll need to be ironed out, especially with the threat of interest from Manchester United and Bayern Munich in the background. It remains to be seen if an agreement will be reached somewhere in the middle, but the time for bidding is nearing.
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