Arsenal will 'touch base' with West Ham United captain Declan Rice later this month as they plot a swoop for the England international, according to journalist Dean Jones.
What's the latest transfer news involving Declan Rice?
As per The Daily Mail, Arsenal, Manchester United and Bayern Munich are all involved in the race for Rice's signature this summer, who is valued at around £120 million by West Ham.
The report states that the Gunners will have around £180 million to spend in the off-season once they initiate player sales, though Bayern Munich are willing to offer £87 million and also players in exchange to land the England international.
According to The Times, one factor that may help Arsenal in their efforts to sign Rice is the fact that Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount has agreed personal terms over a potential move to their Premier League rivals Manchester United, something which could pave the way for Rice to pitch up at the Emirates Stadium.
Rice has been non-commital regarding his future in a recent interview cited by The Manchester Evening News, instead indicating that his full focus will be given to trying to win the Europa Conference League trophy, as he said: “I’ve not really focused on any of that, to be honest. My main focus this season, from the World Cup onwards, has been getting us out of a relegation battle and, of course, having one eye on winning this trophy."
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones has detailed that Arsenal will initiate contact with Rice and his entourage in early June, though warns that the Gunners will need to act soon to ensure they fend off competition from other clubs.
Jones said: "We know that Arsenal are going to touch base early on in June to see what they can do with Declan Rice.
"While that's going on, if Mount is available and Manchester United could potentially look to tie that up, it straightaway gives you a foot up for if Rice doesn't sign for Arsenal, where he goes after that."
Would Declan Rice be a good signing for Arsenal?
Rice, who has been hailed as a "rare" player, is a versatile midfielder that looks primed for a move to one of the Premier League's big guns this summer and Arsenal could be the perfect environment to progress his career in the right direction.
In 2022/23, the 24-year-old has made 49 appearances in all competitions, registering five goals and four assists in the process, as per Transfermarkt.
The £60k-a-week earner has also shown commendable consistency this term and has been West Ham's top performer, according to WhoScored, obtaining an average match rating of 7.01/10 for his exploits on the pitch.
Driving his side forward is one of Rice's main plus points and he has been able to successfully carry out 111 shot-creating actions this campaign, as per FBRef.
Looking ahead, Arsenal will need to move fast in order to secure his signature; however, the lure of Champions League football may work in their favour when trying to recruit Rice.
