Declan Rice next club odds: Arsenal heavy odds-on favourites to sign midfielder
Arsenal are now the heavy odds-on favourites to complete the signing of West Ham midfielder Declan Rice.
The Gunners have launched a £105million bid to land the West Ham skipper – although their London rivals are seeking a faster payment structure before accepting the offer.
It is understood that Arsenal’s third bid, which would see Rice become the most expensive British player of all-time, was made on Tuesday.
Believed to be a £100million offer with £5million in add-ons, it eclipses Arsenal’s record transfer as the Gunners aim to fend off interest in Rice from Premier League champions Manchester City.
City found themselves as the favourites on Friday to secure Rice's signature - having been as big as 25/1 in early June - but the reported bid from Arsenal means they have now returned to the top of the market.
Declan Rice - to sign for before 3rd September 2023 (via Sky Bet)
- Arsenal - 1/20
- Manchester City - 7/1
- To stay at West Ham - 22/1
- Bayern Munich - 33/1
- Chelsea - 33/1
- Manchester United - 33/1
Odds correct at 1740 BST (28/06/23)
Rice's current contract expires in June 2024, although there is the option for a one-year extension.
He's developed into a star for the club following his senior debut in 2017. In total, Rice has made 245 appearances for the Hammers with 204 of those coming in the Premier League.
The midfielder captained the team for the first time in December 2019 before being made the permanent skipper following Mark Noble's retirement in May 2022.
A departure is expected before the summer deadline though, as West Ham chairman David Sullivan recently revealed that Rice will be allowed to leave the club following their Europa Conference League triumph.
"We promised him he could go," Sullivan told TalkSPORT in an interview after their success in Prague.
'He set his heart on going and in due course he has to get on and we have to get a replacement.
"It is not something we wanted to happen. We offered him £200,000-a-week 18 months ago and he turned it down. You can’t keep a player who doesn’t want to be there.
"Three or four clubs have shown interest but, out of respect to West Ham, while we’re still playing, you don’t make offers for players."
Arsenal are expected to bolster their squad this summer as they bid for another title push. Chelsea forward Kai Havertz has been linked with a switch to the Emirates.
Reports indicate that Havertz - operating as a centre-forward at his current club - is being viewed as a midfield replacement for Granit Xhaka with Mikel Arteta keen on retraining his position.
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