Arsenal will step up their pursuit of in the coming days following ’s Europa Conference League victory and are readying a £90million opening offer.
The 24-year-old is Mikel Arteta’s top target for the summer but a move has been delayed by West Ham’s participation in Europe, with the skipper lifting the trophy after a 2-1 victory over Fiorentina in Prague on Wednesday night.
Rice was when asked after the game and was only focused on celebrating ending the Hammers’ long wait for a trophy, but plans are starting to be put in motion behind the scenes.
According to , Arsenal will now table a formal bid of £90m and want to conclude the deal as quickly as possible.
While that figure represents a club-record bid from the Gunners – smashing the £72m they spent on Nicolas Pepe – it is unlikely to be accepted by West Ham.
The east Londoners are believed to value Rice in excess of £100m and want to exact a British record fee for their skipper, believing he is worth more than current record holder Jack Grealish.
West Ham are also conscious of interest from other Premier League giants as well as Bayern Munich, though any move from Manchester United will have to wait until there is more clarity over the club’s new ownership and fringe squad players have been sold.
That does give Arsenal a head start on negotiations, though West Ham will demand that the majority of the transfer fee is paid in full by next summer.
Usually, big deals are structured over several years – often the length of the player’s contract – and paid in instalments but West Ham want the guaranteed, fixed part of the fee to be paid within 12 months, with bonuses and add-ons to be paid as and when they are fulfilled.
West Ham were placed on UEFA’s financial fair play watchlist last September and a big lump sum would help them stay within the laws while also being able to invest this summer.
Arsenal want to wrap up a deal for Rice as quickly as possible, particularly with United having to sit on their hands for now, and will then turn their attention to outgoings.
Once Rice has been secured, Arsenal will assess how much of their transfer kitty they have left – as well as looking to offload some fringe players – before determining which of their other targets they will then make a move for.
United, who are prioritising a move for Chelsea’s Mason Mount, had been considering offering players such as Harry Maguire and Scott McTominay in part-exchange for Rice, but the West Ham clearly prefer a straight cash deal.
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