West Ham’s Declan Rice is a player in which Manchester City has long been interested, and the Citizens are now ready to battle it out with Arsenal in terms of signing him first.
The seven-time Premier League champions have been aware for some time that they may need to restructure their midfield this summer due to heavy speculations around the futures of Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, and Kalvin Phillips.
The captain of City, Gundogan, has chosen to join Barcelona on a free transfer once his contract at the Etihad Stadium expires. The Citizens have been informed by Silva that Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain are interested in him and that he may exit the club sooner than later.
Following his £42 million transfer from Leeds, Kalvin Phillips has not been a consistent starter and has even been linked with a move to West Ham, possibly to be Declan Rice’s replacement, who appears certain to go this summer with just two years left on his deal.
Rice’s choice is to stay in London, and Arsenal has led the race to capture him by making two offers to West Ham. However, the two clubs have not been able to agree on a price since the Hammers are adamant in their decision that Rice is worth at least £100 million plus add-ons.
City has informed West Ham that a bid is on the way and is now prepared to take action. Rice’s asking price may easily be met by Pep Guardiola’s side, but there may also be negotiations about putting Phillips in the deal despite his intention to stay and compete for a spot.
While West Ham hopes that a bidding battle featuring Manchester United will get the best price for 24-year-old Rice, Arsenal is predicted to come back with a third, much larger offer for Rice. The Red Devils are also looking to add a central midfielder, and they are aware that Scott McTominay, who recently shone for Scotland on an international level, is a target for West Ham.
