Arsenal will try to get 'biggest signing since Sol Campbell' on the cheap

Jacque Talbot

• Updated: 25 Mar 2023 10:18 GMT
• 3 min read

Arsenal are suggested to make their biggest signing ‘since Sol Campbell.’

Gunners correspondent Charles Watts spoke about the club’s chances of snapping up Declan Rice this summer window - labelling the prospective move as their largest since they brought in former England international Campbell from Tottenham in 2001.

The Times have reported that Rice is Arsenal’s top transfer target but that West Ham and David Moyes maintain that it will be no cheap move for the club to make, with it thought that it would be a British record to lure the captain away from east London.

And Watts spoke on the possible move on his YouTube channel: “I just watched that game and thought that he would be such a fantastic signing for Arsenal if it does happen.

"It won’t be easy and it will cost a lot of money. We’ve heard time and time again from West Ham that it will take a British record fee for Declan Rice, whether that will happen remains to be seen, but I’m pretty sure that Arsenal will try to get him for much cheaper than that,” Watts said.

Biggest since Campbell

He continued: “I honestly think if Arsenal sign Declan Rice this summer it would be the biggest signing Arsenal have made, maybe Mesut Ozil comes before this, but it would be the biggest signing since Sol Campbell in terms of the teams they have to beat to sign him and the stature of the player right now.

"If they could get this deal done, the message it would send out would say an awful lot about where Arsenal are and how they have moved forwards in a short space of time.”

A lot may depend on where West Ham are playing their football next season, being in the middle of a relegation battle at the moment. There is a very real chance they may be in the Championship next season, leaving the door open for their biggest stars to make an exit.