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Declan Rice pens emotional West Ham farewell message as Arsenal complete dream £105m transfer.
Declan Rice has said goodbye to West Ham in preparation for his summer move to Arsenal. Before finally completing a British record transfer to the Emirates Stadium, the 24-year-old midfielder had been extensively connected with leaving the Hammers for a few years.
In an emotional message on Instagram, Rice wrote: “I can’t believe an incredible 10 years has come to an end. West Ham has been a massive part of my life on and off the pitch. Saying goodbye is never easy.
“I’ve had some unbelievable highs, none higher than that night in Prague. I’ve also grown as lot as a person, a player and as a captain. From the very first moment I captained the side, under the guidance of Nobes, I have felt nothing other than pride & passion.
“As a captain, delivering that European trophy was the icing on the cake. My connection with the fans means everything to me and my family. You have treated us like one of your own since the day I arrived. Thank you.
“Everyone knows how special West Ham is as a club that goes for all managers, coaches, back room staff and of course, my team mates. Thank you for some amazing memories and some of the best days of my life. Love you all. Love Dec.”
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The England international also wrote an open letter that was published on the West Ham website, in which he discussed his time spent in East London.
From going on trial with the club at the age of 14 to the Europa Conference League final earlier this summer, Rice opened his heart to West Ham supporters.
Declan Rice has penned an open letter to West Ham fans.
— West Ham United (@WestHam) July 15, 2023
We know that Rice remained Mikel Arteta’s top objective despite the signing of Jorginho in January. The Arsenal manager has been eager to strengthen his team and close the gap with Manchester City after narrowly missing out on the Premier League championship the previous season.
The Hammers first resisted selling Rice, but David Sullivan approved it after Rice helped the team win a European championship. Mp3bullet also knows that Arsenal has secured the services of the England international ahead of Pep Guardiola’s team, and a £105 million deal is almost complete.
The imminent arrival of Rice follows Jurrien Timber, who was unveiled the day prior, and Kai Havertz, who controversially joined from Chelsea.