Similarly, Arsenal had their own bids turned down by West Ham, including offers of £80m plus add-ons and £75m plus £15m in add-ons. Nevertheless, Arsenal recently presented a record-breaking £105m offer for Rice, comprising a guaranteed payment of £100m and £5m in add-ons. The club appears to be optimistic about reaching an agreement with West Ham.
According to Sky Sports News, Manchester City has officially withdrawn from the race to sign Rice. The report states that the Citizens are unwilling to match Arsenal's offer, as they do not believe it represents good value for money. Manchester City has demonstrated a propensity to walk away from high-priced transfers in the past, citing previous examples such as Harry Maguire, Jorginho, and Alexis Sanchez.
While Arsenal has yet to finalize an agreement with West Ham, ongoing discussions are expected to continue on Wednesday regarding the deal's structure. It is believed that the final fee of £105m has been agreed upon, but West Ham desires a faster delivery of the guaranteed payment rather than waiting for several milestones to be met. Rice has only one year remaining on his contract with West Ham, although the club has the option to activate an additional year to safeguard his value in case the move to Emirates Stadium falls through.
During the 2022-23 season, Rice exhibited excellent form for West Ham, featuring in 50 matches across all competitions and contributing five goals and four assists. He led the team to victory in the Europa Conference League, enabling West Ham to qualify for the 2023-24 Europa League.
Reluctantly, West Ham has agreed to allow their captain to depart this summer, and Arsenal has long been considered the favorites to secure his signature despite interest from other clubs.
