Arsenal to SMASH transfer record to sign Declan Rice

Karan Tejwani

• Updated: 14 Feb 2023 14:34 GMT
• 3 min read

Arsenal have been linked with a move for West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice and will have to make a club-record bid to sign the England star.

The Gunners have been eyeing a move for another midfielder for a while and have been tempted for a move for Rice in recent times.

There is plenty of Premier League interest in Rice as Manchester United and Chelsea are also interested in the player, but Arsenal are hoping to beat them to his signature.

READ: Rice not even half the player Casemiro is for Souness

Now, according to journalist Dean Jones, Arsenal will have to smash their transfer record to complete a deal for the West Ham player.

Arsenal have to spend big for Rice

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones said: “I think Arsenal are definitely willing to break their own transfer record to sign Declan Rice, but I’m not sure they’re going to go above and beyond £100m and break the British record.

“I think West Ham will be hopeful that that happens. They’re hopeful that they can get £110m for Rice. I can understand why they would set their stall out at that level. I’m just not 100% sure that it’s realistic.”

READ: Rice better than Casemiro and Partey, claims England international

Arsenal’s current transfer record is the £72 million they paid for Nicholas Pepe in 2019, and they’ll hope the Rice transfer works out better for them than that.

It looks likely that Arsenal will secure Champions League football as well, which would give their finances a significant boost and upgrade their ability to sign top talents.

Rice would improve the midfield in Mikel Arteta’s side greatly and would add further depth to a position in which they’ve often struggled in the past.