Arsenal will submit an opening bid for West Ham United captain Declan Rice next month, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.
Rice is the Gunners' priority target for the summer window, football.london understands as Mikel Arteta looks to bolster his midfield options at the end of the current campaign. However, the Spaniard is not the only one that wants to prise the England international away from the London Stadium.
Both Manchester United and Chelsea have been heavily linked with a move in recent times, although as per the Mirror, the player is ready to make it clear he favours a summer transfer to the Emirates Stadium. The north Londoners are said to have put in a large amount of groundwork into ensuring they land the Hammers skipper this summer, making them his favoured choice at this moment in time.
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Now, Romano has reported that an opening offer will be arriving in June as Arteta and co. look go get their business done early this summer. Writing on Twitter, the Italian said: "Arsenal have not changed their plans for Declan Rice as top target: opening bid to be submitted in June, waiting for West Ham to clarify final price tag.
"Nothing is agreed or done, race remains open. Other clubs are also interested; so timing will be crucial."
Rice has consistently made it clear that he wants to play in the UEFA Champions League at some point in the near future and Arsenal have qualified for Europe's elite competition for the first time in seven years - securing a second-placed finish in the Premier League this term. “One hundred per cent I want to play in the Champions League,” he said back in November 2022.
“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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