Arsenal will be in the market next summer to add a top-quality midfielder to their ranks, and they are reportedly interested in signing both West Ham’s Declan Rice and Brighton’s Moises Caicedo.
According to Sky Sports journalist, Dharmesh Sheth, the Gunners could struggle to land both players at the same time. Rice, the Hammers skipper could cost in the region of £80m, while Brighton are expected to demand a fee of around £90m for their star midfielder.
Sheth suggests that it would be “very difficult” for them to spend around £170m on two midfielders at the same time as they need to bolster other areas of the pitch as well.
“Would that mean no Moises Caicedo? It would be very, very difficult to get both,” said Sheth to Give Me Sport.
“I’ve always said they [Arsenal] would be in the market for both. But I just wonder if they were to bring in someone like Declan Rice, who would cost more than £60m-£80m depending on whom you listen to, and if you listen to West Ham, he’s a £100m player, then I think that that might be the budget that they use for the midfield area, and they’d still want to strengthen it in other areas as well.”
Can’t afford both
Both Rice and Caicedo would prove to be excellent signings for the Gunners. They have proved their class in midfield for their respective clubs and have maintained a high level of consistency in recent years.
Caicedo has been superb for Brighton in the past couple of years, and his burst of energy from a deep-lying role would add a different dimension to the Arsenal squad.
But Rice is probably Arsenal’s top target. The England midfielder has a contract at West Ham until 2024, and the Hammers have the option to extend it for another year. But it looks like a possibility that this could be Rice’s last season at the club.
The Hammers have gone through a disastrous campaign and they are facing a tough battle for survival. Even if they manage to avoid the drop, they cannot hold on to Rice – who has stated his desire to play for a Champions League club.
The Hammers boss David Moyes has made it clear that it would require a British transfer record fee to prise Rice away from the club. It means Arsenal may need to spend over £100m if they are serious about getting the 39-cap England international.
Therefore, as it stands, if the Gunners are insistent on securing the signatures of both Rice and Caicedo, they will have to pay in the north of £170m. Over to you, Edu!
