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West Ham reject first Arsenal offer for Declan Rice.
According to reports, West Ham United turned down Arsenal initial offer for captain Declan Rice, but negotiations between the two teams will continue.
Following their victory over Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League, the Hammers have been waiting for offers to come in for Rice. Their negotiation position is clear: a deal cannot be reached without an offer of at least £100 million.
The club has grudgingly agreed to release the 24-year-old, and Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Manchester United are all interested in signing Rice. Chairman David Sullivan just acknowledged this.
The front-runners for Rice have been Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal and reported on Tuesday that the club had hinted at being willing to meet West Ham’s asking price. However, sources have stated that the initial offer was just for £80 million plus an additional £10 million, and West Ham quickly rejected it.
Given that they have been very clear about their position on Rice’s price, the Hammers are in fact perplexed and startled by the magnitude of Arsenal’s offer.
Rice’s contract with West Ham runs through the summer of 2025, thus the club would likely be able to get the most money from a sale this year. He had previously mentioned his desire to play in the Champions League and win titles, but he has now fulfilled the latter after becoming only the third captain in the club’s history to raise trophies above his head, after Bobby Moore and Billy Bonds.
The negotiations between West Ham and Arsenal will continue over the next few days, although Chelsea, Manchester City, and Manchester United are all prepared to make an offer for Rice.
Meanwhile, the Hammers are working diligently in the background to find Rice’s replacements. Among the players shortlisted as prospective candidates, Kalvin Phillips, Edson Alvarez, and Joao Palhinha are three.