Arsenal are expected to make an improved offer for West Ham captain Declan Rice worth around £90m.
Arsenal have had an opening proposal turned down for the England midfielder, but will return with an improved offer as Mikel Arteta looks to land his leading transfer target.
West Ham have reluctantly accepted that Rice will leave the London Stadium this summer, with chairman David Sullivan having confirmed the club have ‘promised’ the 24-year-old an exit as he looks to compete in the Champions League.
Sky Sports are reporting that Arsenal are preparing a second bid for the midfielder which will be worth a club-record £90m. That figure will surpass the £72m paid to sign Nicolas Pepe in 2019 and would make Rice the third most expensive Englishman of all time, behind Jude Bellingham and Jack Grealish.
Rice has evolved into one of the Premier League’s leading midfielders since progressing from the West Ham academy and led the division for interceptions in 2022/23. He also captained West Ham to Europa Conference League success as David Moyes’ side secured a first major trophy since 1980.
Manchester United and Manchester City have also each been credited with interest in signing Rice this summer, but Arsenal are frontrunners ahead of a second formal bid.
West Ham are understood to be considering Fulham’s Joao Palhinha and Ajax’s Edson Alvarez as potential replacements for Rice.
