A journalist has claimed that Arsenal have a secret weapon when it comes to negotiating a transfer for West Ham midfielder Declan Rice in the summer.
The Times reported last month that the Gunners have assigned Rice as their priority target for the summer, with Mikel Arteta keen to add more quality to his midfield, and revealed on Monday that the club are 'more likely' to recruit him than Brighton star Moises Caicedo, who they attempted to sign in January.
It had been claimed that a fee of £80 million could be enough to tempt West Ham to sell Rice, even though Hammers boss David Moyes has previously stated that the club would not let the midfielder go without a 'big fight'.
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Rice's contract expires in 2024, but the club do have an option to extend it by a further year, which would lessen the need for a summer sale especially if the Hammers are still playing Premier League and European football next season.
The midfielder has stated his ambition to play in the Champions League, something he will almost certainly not achieve with the Hammers next term even if they win the Europa Conference League this season.
Therefore, a move to Arsenal - who are in the box seat to seal a return to Europe's top continental competition - would surely appeal to Rice. The Gunners are currently five points clear of second-placed Manchester City at the top of the Premier League, with a game in hand.
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And it has been claimed that Arsenal have a secret weapon to help them sign the 24-year-old.
Arsenal 'have secret Declan Rice weapon'
According to National World journalist Chris Wheatley, the England international has a number of existing friends within the Arsenal first team setup - most notably his international team-mate Bukayo Saka.
That friendship could be key in convincing Rice to move to north London, as long as Arsenal agree to a new long-term deal with Saka, whose current deal expires in 2024.
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Speaking on The Chris Wheatley Show, Wheatley explained: "I think [Arsenal] have a pretty good chance of signing Declan Rice this summer.
"He's a player that Mikel Arteta really likes, and I think from Rice's side as well, there's a kind of curiosity and intrigue in joining Arsenal, especially with the season that is currently ongoing. I think Declan Rice is seeing that Arsenal are really on the up under Mikel Arteta. He has friends in the team - Bukayo Saka is one of his best friends in the England setup. But, at the same time, Chelsea do hold an interest in Rice. I think there's going to be another transfer battle between Arsenal and Chelsea for a player this summer. We've seen it with Mykhailo Mudryk, we saw it with Moises Caicedo, and we're going to probably see it again this summer with Declan Rice."
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: Arsenal, Premier League, Transfers, Declan Rice, West Ham United, Mikel Arteta