Manchester United are ready to push Arsenal for the signing of West Ham captain Declan Rice this summer, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Rice linked with United move

The 24-year-old is expected to leave the Hammers at the end of the season, as he looks to kick on in his career and join a Champions League-playing club, even admitting publicly that is eventually the goal.

United are one of the many teams to have been linked with a mega money move, with the Red Devils no doubt keen to add even more quality to their midfield, considering Casemiro and Christian Eriksen are both on the wrong side of 30.

It won't be easy for them to snap up the West Ham and England star but a new update suggests that they are firmly in the mix.

The Latest: New update emerges

Writing for Give Me Sport, Jones claimed that United are 'serious contenders' and may 'pose the biggest threat' to Arsenal when it comes to the battle to sign Rice this summer.

The Gunners are the midfielder's 'top choice' currently but a move to Old Trafford certainly isn't ruled out, with United's size and history seen as a big advantage over the north Londoners.

The Verdict: Would be significant

Rice has matured into a truly formidable footballer in recent times, becoming one of the first names on the team sheet for England and winning 39 caps to date.

At 24, he still has so many years left in him at the top and his all-round game would make United a more dominant force, having enjoyed an 89.2% pass completion rate and averaged two tackles per game in the Premier League this season.

David Moyes has hailed Rice as a 'huge' player at West Ham recently and he is ready to make that step up to United's level, providing box-to-box energy alongside Casemiro and proving to be an upgrade on someone like Fred, who only has an 80.4% pass completion rate in the league.