Manchester United are ready to battle Arsenal for the signing of West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice in the summer transfer window, according to Guardian.
The England international is attracting interest from several top clubs following his incredible performances for the Hammers this season.
Rice has racked up 45 appearances for David Moyes’ side in all competitions and made eight goal contributions as the Londoners close in on Premier League safety and are also on the verge of reaching this season’s UEFA Europa Conference League final following a 2-1 first leg semi-final win over AZ Alkmaar.
The 24-year-old, who is regarded as one of the best-holding midfielders in England, has less than one year left on his current contract with West Ham and he has reportedly rejected the chance to sign a new deal to stay at the London Stadium.
The Guardian claims Arsenal have been leading the race to sign Rice in the summer with widespread reports suggesting they are confident of luring the England ace to the Emirates Stadium. However, the Gunners’ hopes could be hit if a bidding war for Rice develops, with West Ham indicating they want at least £100m for their captain.
It is believed that Mikel Arteta’ outfit could be reluctant to reach those figures and the report says Man Utd could now derail Arsenal’s attempts to sign Rice with growing indications the Red Devils are planning to step up their interest.
Reinforcement
Man Utd and Arsenal are in the market to bolster their squads for next season and signing midfielders is a priority for both clubs.
The North Londoners have been linked with several midfielders including Mason Mount, Youri Tielemans, Sergei Milinkovic-Savic and Moises Caicedo but Rice has emerged as their prime target.
Man Utd on the other hand are also reportedly looking to strengthen their midfield options as Erik ten Hag looks to build a squad capable of competing for the title next season and Rice is now firmly on their radar.
According to the Guardian, West Ham are keen on keeping Rice for another season but know they are fighting a losing battle. Rice wants to play in the Champions League and competing for major honours in the coming seasons, therefore is expected to leave West Ham at end of the season.
West Ham are said to be paying close attention to how much Borussia Dortmund receive if they sell Jude Bellingham. United and Arsenal are not the only clubs interested in making a move for the highly-rated midfielder, as Chelsea and Newcastle United are also monitoring the situation.
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