BREAKING NEWS: Man City are set to fire up the race to sign Declan Rice as they prepare to make an imminent bid in a bid to beat rivals Arsenal and Man United to the £100m West Ham captain.
West Ham hope Manchester City will make a bid for Declan Rice following Ilkay Gundogan’s decision to join Barcelona.
City are weighing up an official bid for the Hammers skipper with the London club now predicting a bid for Rice is imminent.
Arsenal have already had two bids rejected for Rice, most recently a bid worth £90m.
Rice’s preference has been to join the Emirates Stadium club.
But it now remains to be seen whether the emergence of City as a genuine contender for his signature prompts a change of heart.
West Ham hope Manchester City will make a bid for their captain Declan Rice
Arsenal will return with a third bid for top target Rice.
As revealed Mail Sport on Tuesday, the Gunners’ new offer, believed to be worth £75m in guaranteed cash with a further £15m in add-ons, was rejected as the Hammers continue to hold out for a minimum of £100m.
Well-placed sources had indicated the expectation that Arsenal’s second bid would be worth a minimum of £90m plus performance-related incentives that would take the deal closer to £100m.
However, the Gunners’ latest bid has not met with Hammers chairman David Sullivan’s assessment.
Arsenal will make a third bid for the England international after having their original £80million bid rejected earlier this month.
It has been indicated Mail Sport that Arsenal are willing to meet Rice’s £100m valuation. Their next offering will be closer to that mark.
Personal terms, in excess of £200,000-a-week, will be formally closed quickly once West Ham and Arsenal agree a fee.
But it remains to be seen whether City’s interest destroys the expectation of Rice moving to Arsenal.
Rice was told he could leave West Ham this summer but the club have rejected offers from Arsenal
Ilkay Gundogan was putting the finishing touches to a move to Barcelona on Wednesday
City are looking for midfield reinforcements with captain Ilkay Gundogan putting the finishing touches on a move to Barcelona.
Gundogan, 32, will sign a two-year contract at Camp Nou after his contract with City expires.
City fought to keep hold of their captain but he has opted to leave after securing a historic treble.
The Premier League champions have also agreed a deal for Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic, worth an initial £25million.
