Arsenal are reportedly ready to pay €134 million for West Ham United defensive midfielder Declan Rice.
Mikel Arteta has transformed Arsenal into a team that can compete with the best for trophies. And, according to a report by Fichajes, they are ready to bolster their midfield by paying €134 million to sign Declan Rice in the summer. Rice has been on the radar of many big teams in the Premier League. But as of now, Arsenal are leading the race to land him at the club.
Arsenal are currently top of the Premier League table with 50 points out of a possible 60. They have a five-point lead over second-placed Manchester City, with a game in hand. The Gunners have an opportunity to extend their lead to eight points.
Mikel Arteta’s team is all set to feature in the UEFA Champions League next season. They will be fighting for all the trophies out there. And signing Declan Rice will surely strengthen their squad and help Arsenal win big. The 24-year-old joined West Ham’s youth academy back in 2013 from Chelsea.
He has come through the ranks at West Ham and is currently their skipper. The English international is a leader on the pitch. He is amongst the best defensive midfielders in the world. Rice has great defensive awareness and can dictate the pace of a game with his ball distribution.
The West Ham skipper has played over 200 matches for the club. He has featured in 27 games in the ongoing season and has put in some great performances at the centre of the park. Rice wants to take the next step in his career by joining a Champions League club and West Ham are likely to let him leave. But, they will only let him go on their terms.
While Arsenal do have a quality squad. But they looking to make a few additions to their squad in order to climb to the top of European football. Arteta is looking for a defensive midfielder who can challenge Thomas Partey for a place in the XI.
The Arsenal boss is interested in bringing Rice to the club to add more quality as well as increase his bench strength. Rice’s acquisition will help him to have control in the midfield and push the full-backs further up the pitch.
However, signing the England international won’t be that easy a task. Arsenal will face a lot of competition from Premier League clubs and there will be a few big clubs from across Europe who might also enter the race for his signatures. So, it will be interesting to see if Arsenal can seal the deal for a Premier League record fee of €134 million.
