Arsenal have made a move for West Ham and England midfielder Declan Rice their priority for the summer transfer window, football.london understands. It comes as the Gunners look to rebuild their midfield for the long-term, with their central ranks filled by players in or beyond their peak years.
The 24-year-old offers plenty for the seasons ahead, with his ball-carrying ability from deep and his defensive capabilities offering plenty. Arsenal's recent successes makes them an enticing option for top players once again, with Rice admitting he was impressed with the side.
"They are a top team," the Hammers captain said earlier this season. "You can see they are coached incredibly well, have a lot of attacking talent, a young squad and they can go the whole way for sure."
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With Rice's contract at the London Stadium nearing the end, the possibility of a transfer in the summer appears more and more likely. Plenty of different price tags have been thrown about in regards to agreeing a deal, from £90million all the way to £120million in recent days.
While it remains to be seen what West Ham's position on a transfer may be, Mikel Arteta appears to be doing everything he can to agree a move. According to transfer journalist Rudy Galetti, the Spaniard has been heavily involved in the process to attempt to land the midfielder.
He told GiveMeSport: "There are some updates because the Gunners have the West Ham midfielder in their sights and first contact to collect preliminary information already happened.
"During January, there were new contacts in which Arteta was directly involved. No personal terms have been under discussion with the entourage of Declan Rice, but Arsenal understood that the player wants to join them.”
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