According to a report from Football.London, Arsenal, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, and Manchester United find themselves engaged in fierce competition as they vie for the signature of West Ham United captain Declan Rice in anticipation of the upcoming summer transfer window.
Moreover, it was stated in a report in the Mirror that Bayern Munich are confident in their ability to outmatch both Arsenal and Chelsea in the race to secure the signing of the English international. However, West Ham will turn down the £95 million offer as they place a higher value on the player than the proposed bid.
Rice’s Stellar Performances for West Ham This Season
Rice has once again showcased his exceptional abilities at the London Stadium, delivering outstanding performances in the midfield for West Ham. The talented midfielder, hailing from London, has made a significant impact, contributing four goals and four assists in 44 appearances across all competitions this season.
The English international has continued to shine in David Moyes’ midfield, displaying impressive defensive attributes with an average of 2.3 tackles, 1.8 interceptions, and 1.5 clearances per game in the Premier League. In addition, Rice’s offensive contributions have been noteworthy, with an average of 1.0 shots, 1.1 key passes, and 1.0 dribbles per match. His passing accuracy has also been commendable, completing 87.6% of his attempted passes in the English top flight (stats via whoscored).
Can Arsenal Boss Mikel Arteta Acquire Rice’s Services This Summer?
Florian Plettenberg of Sky Sports Germany has stated that Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel recently spoke with Declan Rice about a potential transfer this summer. Plettenberg shared on Twitter that their phone call was positive, with mutual appreciation expressed. Rice is reportedly open to joining Bayern and working with Tuchel. The German club is now looking to step up their pursuit of the midfielder, who remains a transfer target. However, time is of the essence, as Rice could also sign for Arsenal.
Rice is currently inclined towards a transfer to North London club due to the opportunity of playing under head coach Mikel Arteta. The Gunners have reportedly prioritized Rice as their main target for the summer, viewing the West Ham captain as an ideal addition to challenge Thomas Partey in the holding midfield role and complement the box-to-box abilities of Granit Xhaka.
The prospect of working with Arteta is also enticing for Rice, as the Spanish manager has demonstrated his skill this season by leading Arsenal to the top of the table, holding a five-point advantage over Manchester City prior to the final weeks of the Premier League before losing out on the title race.
