Arsenal’s primary summer target is HIJACKED

Carlo Garganese

• 23 May 2023 09:15 BST
• 3 min read

Arsenal risk having another major transfer hijacked, as Bayern Munich have launched a bid for Declan Rice.

Rice is considered the Gunners’ primary transfer target for the summer transfer window.

FootballTransfers understands that Arsenal have already opened talks with West Ham over a deal, with details such as the fee and the structure of the payment having been discussed.

READ MORE: Premier League 2023/24 summer transfers: All the Done Deals

Rice himself favours a move to Arsenal, despite the interest of other major clubs like Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool.

Bayern Munich in for Declan Rice

However, Arsenal could risk losing Rice to Bayern Munich, according to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg.

Pettenberg reports that Bayern manager Thomas Tuchel is a big fan of the England international.

He has requested the signing of Rice this summer and has received the full backing of Bayern’s board to make a significant bid.

Negotiations have started between Rice and Bayern over the transfer, with Tuchel playing a prominent role in trying to convince the 24-year-old to move to Munich.

Petternberg adds though that Rice is likely to prefer to stay in the Premier League but the potential of a transfer to Bayern cannot be ruled out given their desire to sign him.

Arsenal will hope this is the case as they have seen numerous transfers hijacked in the last year or so, including Mykhailo Mudryk by Chelsea in January.

Rice is regarded as one of the most impressive holding midfielders in the Premier League, having made almost 250 appearances for West Ham.

He has also been capped 41 times by the England national team after switching allegiance from the Republic of Ireland.

Rice played an important role as England reached the final of Euro 2020 and quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup.

His transfer fee is expected to be not far off €100 million, with West Ham likely to finally agree to a sale this summer.

Rice will be hoping to sign off his West Ham career in style as they play Fiorentina in the final of the UEFA Conference League next month.

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