Arsenal face ‘WORST NIGHTMARE’ as Man Utd launch GENIUS Rice bid

Robin Bairner

• 22 Jun 2023 07:07 BST
• 3 min read

Arsenal had hoped to have tied down West Ham midfielder Declan Rice by now, but the Gunners face renewed competition for the England international.

According to a report from Football.London, Mikel Arteta’s side are facing their “worst nightmare” as the endgame for Rice approaches, with Manchester United considering a fresh approach for the 24-year-old.

The Old Trafford side have put together a deal worth £100 million for Rice, which is the type of figure that West Ham want for the player.

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Arsenal have been in negotiations with the Hammers for several weeks with regards the UEFA Conference League-winning midfielder but have been trying to work on a transfer for under £100m as Arteta seeks to get three blockbuster deals done for his budget of £200m.

Previously, the Gunners had been optimistic that a transfer could take place for lower than West Ham’s asking price because of a lack of bidding war. Man Utd’s fresh interest, meanwhile, means that the Emirates side face just that.

Frustratingly for Arsenal, Man Utd are willing to throw in two players who FootballTransfers has revealed previously that West Ham wants. According to the Daily Telegraph, Harry Maguire and Scott McTominay could be added to the deal to drive the upfront cost of the player down.

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Stalled Man Utd takeover calls for creative Ten Hag solution

Man Utd’s transfer window has been complicated by the stalled takeover of the club, with the Glazer brothers dragging their heels over the sale. This has led to frustration from manager Erik ten Hag, who has been unclear on his transfer budget and, therefore, unable to complete any deals.

By adding players into the mix of a transfer for Rice, United can drive the cash involved in the deal down and, therefore, make it more realistic for them to complete quickly.

Man Utd also appear to be making progress at last with regard to a move for Mason Mount, a great friend of Rice, but is unclear at present whether they can sign both the Chelsea and West Ham men.