Manchester City finally make a formal offer for Declan Rice worth £80 million guaranteed plus £10 million in add-ons – and Arsenal will respond within 48 hours with their third bid for the West Ham captain
Arsenal will make a third bid for Declan Rice within 48 hours of Manchester City finally making their formal offer for the West Ham captain worth £90 million.
Arsenal will soon respond with an improvement on their own £90m bid which was rejected last week, although the forthcoming proposal will not be a direct response to City’s bid.
City’s offer includes a guaranteed £80 million plus an additional £10 million in add-ons.
The proposal tops Arsenal’s previously rejected offer of a guaranteed £75 million plus a further £15 million in bonuses.
It remains to be seen if City’s offer will be accepted by West Ham, but the offer will focus Arsenal’s efforts to sign Rice, Mikel Arteta’s number 1 target.
Manchester City have made a formal offer of £80 million plus £10 million in add-ons for Declan Rice
City manager Pep Guardiola (L) is determined to beat Mikel Arteta (R) in signing Rice
Pertinently values West Ham Rice at £100m, a price City have failed to meet.
And indications on Monday night were that West Ham intended to reject City’s offer.
Sources claim Arsenal’s third bid will be closer to the Hammers’ £100 million valuation.
The payment structure also emerges as a factor, with the Hammers wanting the guaranteed part of the compensation for rice to be paid in two installments before 2025.
Rice has been closely linked with Arsenal before the start of the transfer window, but a deal has yet to be finalized.
City, meanwhile, have lost Ilkay Gundogan and Barcelona confirmed on Monday that they have signed the Germany international on a two-year deal.
City are close to signing Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea for £25 million but are still keen to sign Rice.
Chelsea’s Kai Havertz is on the verge of joining Arsenal and could partner Rice in midfield if he chooses to join the Gunners
City need reinforcements in midfield after Ilkay Gundogan’s loss to Barcelona this week
Rice’s vast amount of Premier League experience – having made more than 200 appearances in the division – makes him an attractive proposition, as does the fact that at 24 he has time on his side to improve even further.
Arsenal are also closing in on signing Kai Havertz from Chelsea for £65 million.
Mikel Arteta’s team has also made an improved offer of 41.5 million pounds for Ajax defender Jurrien Timber.
However, they are mainly looking to sign Rice as part of a midfield review this summer, with Granit Xhaka likely to go to Bayer Leverkusen, while Thomas Partey could also leave.
Arteta sees Rice as a potential future Arsenal captain.
If Arsenal cannot sign Rice, Monaco midfielder Youssouf Fofana could be a possible alternative option.