West Ham United have continued to prove that it is either £100 million or nothing for their captain and midfielder, Declan Rice.
Just within 24 hours after reports went viral that Manchester City are attempting to hijack Declan Rice from Arsenal this summer by making a £90 million bid for the midfielder, the London-based side have turned down City’s opening offer.
In the bid Manchester City made for the England international, the reigning Premier League champions said they were ready to make an initial payment of £80 million which is far below the £100 million price tag on Declan Rice.
Since Ilkay Gundogan moved to Barcelona this summer, Rice is seen as Pep Guardiola’s best option for the midfield position even though Chelsea’s Mateo Kovacic has already agreed to join the club in a £25 million deal.
Just like Manchester City are battling to win the heart of West Ham United to sell their most-priced asset to them, Arsenal have been making efforts to sign the 24-year-old midfielder.
So far this summer, Arsenal which lost the 2022-2023 Premier League title to Manchester City in the last weeks of the season, have made two offers to West Ham for Declan Rice but the Hammers turned them down.
Currently, the Gunners are anticipated to make a third offer to West Ham for Rice.
Last week, West Ham rejected the Gunners’ second offer, which comprised an initial £75 million split into four installments with an additional £15 million in add-ons.
Rice’s contract with the Hammers will expire in 2024. However, there is a one-year extension option available through the summer of 2025.
This has put West Ham in a better position to hold on to their player until they can get what they want for his services.
Club president David Sullivan predicted Rice will leave the team this summer with “99%” certainty after West Ham triumphed over Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League earlier this month.
