Declan Rice's £105million transfer to Arsenal should be announced before the end of the week and he is already being welcomed to the club by his new teammates. The Arsenal squad flew out to Germany for a pre-season training camp earlier this week as preparations start for the upcoming campaign this Thursday when they face Nurnberg.
It is highly unlikely that Rice will feature in that game, but debuts for Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber are certainly possible. Havertz saw his £65million move from Chelsea announced in late June, while Timber has completed all the necessary medical tests with just an official unveiling to follow.
Negotiations with Ajax for the signing of Timber were relatively straightforward, however Arsenal faced numerous stumbling blocks to get Rice's signature. Firstly, Manchester City entered the race but a triple-figure proposal from Emirates Stadium ended their interest with West Ham then verbally agreeing to that offer.
An agreement regarding payment terms then proved to be the next challenge with the Hammers adamant they wanted the full up front fee before the start of 2025. Eventually, a compromise was met with Arsenal paying the £100million across three instalments over the next 24 months and Rice was given the all clear to undergo a medical.
Those tests were done in two parts with his media duties completed last week and now Arsenal fans are just waiting for Rice to be confirmed as their latest signing. Amid the delay regarding an announcement, Rice has taken to social media to show what he is doing. Despite being offered an extended break, training has already begun for the 24-year-old in Portugal.
The caption read: "Back at it. (Battery emoji)", with numerous images posted that show him running in a field and working out in the gym. The post has also since been liked by Havertz and Bukayo Saka as the duo eagerly wait to link up with Rice.
READ MORE: Arsenal news and transfers LIVE: Moises Caicedo statement, Double announcements, Contract claim
According to the Evening Standard, Arsenal are aiming to have Rice as part of their pre-season squad for the USA tour. The Gunners are due to fly to the States on Sunday before friendly matches against the MLS All-Stars, Manchester United and Barcelona.
