Arsenal laying groundwork on deal for Rice

Arsenal are laying the groundwork on a deal to sign West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice this summer, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Moyes sends price warning

The Premier League talisman has now entered the final 17 months of his deal at the London Stadium and seems likely to leave at the end of the season after rejecting multiple new contract offers.

The Irons captain has duly been the subject of strong transfer interest from numerous top-flight giants who have been alerted to the fact that he could be available later this year.

David Moyes admitted on Saturday that the England international would be a ‘British transfer record’ if he were to leave east London, sending out a warning to potential suitors that the midfielder won’t come cheap.

The Latest: Arsenal working on Rice deal

According to Football Insider, Arsenal and Chelsea are currently in ‘pole position’ for Rice as the two clubs ‘lay the groundwork’ for a big-money move this summer.

Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United also hold an ‘interest’ in the 24-year-old, with Newcastle United ‘expected to be in the running’, although none of these are leading the race as it stands.

The Hammers are ‘confident’ of securing an £80m+ fee, with their captain’s price tag having ‘fallen’ from the previous £100m valuation as a result of his contract situation, putting the player in a ‘stronger negotiating position’.

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The Verdict: Enhanced leadership quality

Arsenal completed the signing of another midfielder in Jorginho from Chelsea on January transfer deadline day, and it seems quite possible that Rice could be the next positional peer to follow in his footsteps by putting pen to paper at the Emirates Stadium.

The 24-year-old is at the heart of everything in the midfield engine room for West Ham, ranking in the 94th percentile for interceptions per game among players in his position in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, also averaging 1.2 key passes per Premier League game.

These figures mark him out as a well-rounded midfielder who is capable of not only winning possession for his team but also putting it to good use by instigating goal-scoring opportunities.

Rice has also been dubbed a ‘dominator’ by football talent scout Jacek Kulig and would bring plenty of leadership qualities to Mikel Arteta’s squad, having captained West Ham on numerous occasions at a high level, making him an ideal central reinforcement for Arsenal to pursue.