Gilberto Silva believes that Declan Rice is 'ready for a big move' in the summer transfer window. The 24-year-old midfielder has been heavily linked with a moves Arsenal and Chelsea this season following his impressive performances for West Ham.
Despite the arrival of Jorginho in January, football.london understand that the Gunners still hold a strong interest in Rice. It's also understood that the Hammers captain remains a key target for the Blues, where he spent a number of years alongside Mason Mount in the academy before he was eventually released at the age of 14.
The England international sees his contract at the London Stadium expire in 12 months, but it's said that West Ham have the option to extend his stay by a further year. However, Rice has previously voiced his desire to play in the Champions League and, with Chelsea set to miss out on European qualification, Arsenal look well-positioned to grab his signature.
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In an interview with casinosite.nl, Silva offered his verdict on the Englishman's future. The former Gunners midfielder said: "There have been some rumours about Arsenal before, but they seem to be increasing again.
"I’m not 100% convinced this is the first position Mikel is going to strengthen first, but he is a really strong candidate. He has done so well at West Ham; I’ve watched their last few games and he has shown exactly why people are talking about him so highly.
"It’s not going to be an easy transfer because of the high price, but the market is crazy nowadays - you have to pay expensive fees for good players. Declan Rice is ready for a big move, he has given a massive contribution to West Ham, so let’s wait and see what happens in the transfer market.
"West Ham are more than entitled to listen to offers for their player in the market, it won’t be only Arsenal trying to sign him in the window. There will be big competition for Arsenal to try and sign him, from across Europe."
With Arsenal seemingly focused on a deal for Rice, Chelsea have been given fresh hope of signing Moises Caicedo – although he wants European football too. In an interview with the Arsenal Informer, the Brighton star's agent, Manuel Sierra said: "Moises has 4 years left on his contract.
"He’s having an incredible season, so it’s normal that there are many clubs interested in him. Now he’s completely focused on the last part of the season; all evaluations will be postponed until the summer.
"This is not a surprise because there aren’t many other midfielders so young and talented around Europe. I believe he can really improve in every aspect of the game.
"He can slot into any [team] as he is ready for it all. His dream is to play in the Champions League and to reach as far as he can in football. His idol? Kante."
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