David Ornstein of The Athletic has reported that Arsenal have now agreed a fee with West Ham for their captain Declan Rice, of £100m plus £5m add ons, which is a record transfer for a British player.
Arsenal made their offer for the English midfielder last night, and after Manchester City pulled out of the race for Rice this morning, the Hammers have now accepted this offer. The two clubs are now working to resolve the payment terms of the deal.
The Gunners have wanted to improve their midfield for a considerable amount of time, with Rice being at the top of Mikel Arteta’s wish list for this summer. After injuries to Thomas Partey during last seasons title charge, the Arsenal manager was keen to add depth to his midfield, to continue to challenge in the League and in all other competitions.
Arsenal are also set to announce the signing of Kai Havertz from Chelsea for a fee of around £65m, and the rumours are forming that the German will be used in a midfield role. This could see Arsenal’s midfield looking very different for next season, with Rice and Havertz joining Martin Odegaard in the middle of the park.
Connor Holden | Get Football
