Arsenal have the edge when it comes to signing Declan Rice this summer after having laid the groundwork for the West Ham midfielder this season.
The Gunners are keen to add the midfielder to their ranks, with Rice expected to leave West Ham this summer with two years left on his current contract in east London.
But they are not alone in their pursuit, with both Liverpool and Manchester City also keeping tabs on Rice, who has blossomed into one of the best defensive midfielders in world football during his time at the London Stadium.
Pep Guardiola’s side have already missed out on their no.1 target this summer, with Jude Bellingham having agreed to make the switch to Real Madrid rather than the Etihad, while Liverpool are keen to refresh their own ranks after a disappointing season.
But, Arsenal have one thing to offer that they can’t. Location.
According to FootballInsider, ‘it is understood that the midfielder would prefer to stay in his home city of London’, having spent his life at Chelsea and West Ham, which means that should he wish to do so, a potential move would boil down to a straight shoot-out between Arsenal and the Blues.
Valued at £100m, he won’t come cheap, but he is part of a wider spending spree that Arsenal plan on going on, which also includes midfielder Moises Caicedo, a central defender and another forward, with Marc Guehi and Moussa Diaby the latest names put forward for both positions.
