Football
Arsenal Reach Agreement to Sign West Ham’s Declan Rice for £105 Million
by privatebet.com - 2023/06/29
Declan Rice spent the entirety of his professional career with West Ham United, but he’s finally ready for a change. After rejecting several bids from Arsenal, the 24-year-old midfielder reportedly agreed to a £105 million contract. The Gunners have been pursuing Rice for quite some time, but he was playing hard to get. West Ham rejected two bids for their star player, and the last one was worth £90 million. They wanted at least £100 million to let their captain go, and that’s exactly what they’ve got. Arsenal's bid is reportedly comprised of an initial £100 million plus £5 million in add-ons, equaling the British record Manchester City paid for Jack Grealish. The terms of the deal are still being structured, and Rice is yet to officially sign it and leave West Ham for good. The 24-year-old joined the Hammers fresh out of their academy and kicked off his senior career in 2017. He steadily rose through the ranks and became one of the team’s most valuable players before being named captain last year. Rice has played 245 games and scored 15 goals for West Ham, leading the team to the Europa Conference League earlier this month. His departure is a big deal for the Hammers, but it doesn’t come as a shocker after the team’s chairman David Sullivan said he is "99%" sure he would leave them this summer.