Arsenal are expected to fulfil their pursuit of Declan Rice following West Ham's Europa Conference League success over Fiorentina on Wednesday evening.
The Gunners have identified the midfielder as their number one priority this summer and will make a formal approach for the 24-year-old in the coming days after West Ham chairman David Sullivan admitted they will lose Rice this summer.
"I think it has to be [Rice's final game for West Ham]," he 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."
Rice’s future has looked set to be away from E20 for some time, meaning West Ham will already have a strong list of replacements for the England international. Rice missed only one Premier League game this season and has been a key cog in David Moyes' squad in recent years.
Following Sullivan's admission of bringing in "several replacements", The Telegraph have reported that the club are planning to spend the Rice windfall on Leicester City's Harvey Barnes and Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse.
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Yet, according to the Daily Mail, the Hammers have identified Fulham’s Joao Palhinha as their No.1 target to replace Rice next season. The Portugal international has enjoyed a terrific debut season in the Premier League after completing a £20 million signing from Sporting CP last July.
The 27-year-old played 40 games in total for Marco Silva's side this season, scoring four. It's clear why West Ham have expressed an interest in the defensive midfielder, with him making the most tackles of any player in the Premier League with 147.
West Ham's participation in the Europa League next season will make them an attractive destination for players this summer, in what's expected to be a busy transfer window.
Alongside the Fulham star, West Ham are said to be interested in Manchester City's Kalvin Phillips, Ajax's Edson Alvarez and Manchester United's Scott McTominay.
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