According to the latest reports, Declan Rice has been granted permission to undergo a medical examination and finalize personal terms with Arsenal.
West Ham United and Arsenal have reached a full agreement for the transfer of the England midfielder, with a reported transfer fee of £105 million.
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The amount qualifies as a Premier League record fee for a British player.
Manchester City had previously been in the race to sign Rice but withdrew after Arsenal improved their bid to £100 million plus an additional £5 million in add-ons.
Initially, City had matched Arsenal’s £90 million proposal but both offers were rejected.
However, Arsenal returned with an improved offer and are now close to securing their top summer target.
Rice, who had one year left on his West Ham contract, is expected to have played his last game for the club, as confirmed by West Ham chairman David Sullivan.
Rice has made 245 appearances for West Ham since his debut in 2017 and is now set to join Arsenal.
From Arsenal’s perspective, the willingness to pay a significant fee for Rice is driven by the importance of landing the West Ham captain in this transfer window.
The club’s recruitment strategy has evolved over the past two summers, shifting from a youth-oriented approach to signing experienced players in their mid-twenties.
Rice, at 24 years old, fits into last summer’s strategy and brings a wealth of experience, having started in major tournaments for England and played a crucial role in West Ham’s success in the last Europa Conference League.
Rice’s versatility is also a key factor, as he can perform well in multiple positions.
His defensive attributes, such as maintaining good positional discipline and timing his tackles effectively, contribute to his success.
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Last season, he had a “true” tackle win rate of 70%, which was the best among defensive and central midfielders with 900-plus Premier League minutes played.
Overall, Rice’s potential signing represents an important move for Arsenal as they continue to solidify their squad and build on their recruitment strategy from the past seasons.
