Done deal: £92m Star Player Approved England as FIFA Confirms Edu and Arteta Can Accelerate Transfer.
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As the summer transfer window officially opens this week, Arsenal fans eagerly anticipate potential developments in the club’s pursuit of West Ham United captain Declan Rice.
Mikel Arteta, the Arsenal manager, has made it clear that Rice is his priority signing for the summer, with the aim of bolstering the first-team squad and mounting a strong challenge for the Premier League title next season. Additionally, Arteta hopes to see his team make a mark in the prestigious Champions League tournament.
With the anticipated departure of Granit Xhaka to Bayer Leverkusen in a £13 million deal, Rice is seen as the perfect replacement for the Swiss international in the advanced midfield position. Alternatively, he could provide competition for Thomas Partey and Jorginho in the defensive midfield role, adding depth and quality to the squad.
Out of respect for West Ham, who were preparing for the Europa Conference League final against Fiorentina, Arsenal refrained from submitting a bid for Rice immediately after the conclusion of the 2022/23 Premier League season. The Gunners wanted to allow West Ham to focus on their final match, which they emerged victorious from with a 2-1 scoreline.
Following the game, West Ham chairman David Sullivan confirmed that Rice had played his last match for the club, stating, “We promised him he could go. He set his heart on going. You can’t ask for a man who has committed more to us this season. In due course, he has to get on, and we have to get a replacement.”
Now that West Ham’s season has concluded, Arsenal is expected to submit a bid in the range of £92 million for Rice in the coming days. It is worth noting that the official opening of the transfer window is on June 14th, and according to FIFA’s Transfer Window Calendar, only signings from Premier League, EFL, and Scottish teams can be registered during this period.
If Arsenal can reach an agreement on the fee with West Ham before Wednesday, they will be able to register Rice immediately. This timing coincides well with West Ham’s involvement in the Europa Conference League final, offering Arsenal a chance to expedite the deal before Rice joins the England national team.
Gareth Southgate recently announced a 25-man squad for the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers. In a statement on Englandfootball.com, it was mentioned that players involved with their clubs in the UEFA European Finals will join the squad at a later date.
While it remains to be seen when Rice will link up with his England teammates, the fact that he will do so at a later date provides Arsenal with more time to complete the deal. England’s first qualifier is an away match against Malta on Friday, followed by a fixture against North Macedonia next Monday.
If Arsenal can secure Rice’s signature before the England camp concludes, it is unlikely that he will immediately join his new teammates when they return to pre-season training at London Colney in early July. Furthermore, he might miss the team’s training camp in Nuremberg at Adidas HQ if he decides to take a holiday following his international duties.
Arsenal’s eagerness to finalize their deals early in the summer transfer window is fueled by the desire to have a settled squad well before the start of the new season.
Signing Rice would be a significant statement of intent from the Gunners and would undoubtedly enhance their prospects in both domestic and European competitions. As negotiations progress, football enthusiasts will be eagerly following the developments surrounding this potential transfer.
