Arsenal are set to hold talks with West Ham next month to sign Declan Rice, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.
Speaking to Give Me Sport, Romano says that the Gunners want to discover the transfer fee their London rivals are seeking so that they can prepare an official bid.
The Telegraph previously reported that Rice is the first-choice target for Arsenal and they are confident of securing a club-record move for him this summer.
The report claims that the Gunners are working on structuring a deal worth £92m for Rice – who may have played his final home game on Sunday as West Ham earned a 3-1 win against Leeds United.
“In June, Arsenal are prepared to approach West Ham to have a conversation about Declan Rice,” said Romano.
“They are also waiting to understand how much is going to be the price tag to start the conversations to prepare official bids and all these kinds of things.”
Transfer Insider Dean Jones says that Rice is extremely impressed with what Arsenal have done under Mikel Arteta but agreement on a fee is the big obstacle that the North London club need to overcome.
Jones suggests that West Ham won’t lower the asking price as previously anticipated, and they would demand a fee of around £100m plus add-ons of £20m.
The Gunners could face stiff competition from the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City, but according to Jones, Manchester United could create a plot twist with the Red Devils also eyeing a move for Rice this summer.
Expensive
Rice is set to enter the final 12 months of his contract at West Ham but they have the option to extend it for another year. However, it looks unlikely that they would do so, rather the club will look to offload him and reinvest the money properly.
Whatever the final price will be, if Arsenal end up buying Rice they will definitely shatter their transfer record – which currently stands at the £72m they spent on Nicolas Pepe.
Rice currently earns around £60k-a-week, but Arsenal want him make him a £300,000-a-week top earner, as per Jones, alongside the likes of Bukayo Saka. It only shows that they regard him as a top-class player, someone who could be a long-term asset for the club.
Man United have the financial power (especially if the takeover takes place) to sign Rice, and they can also offer him Champions League football next season. However, the Red Devils need to sign a striker first, and they can only move for Rice if their budget allows.
Rice will be an expensive signing for the Gunners, and it seems they are ready to spend big on him after a fantastic 2022-23 season.
