Arsenal contemplates selling key star for Declan Rice

As Arsenal intensifies its pursuit of West Ham’s Declan Rice, Eddie Nketiah finds himself among a group of Arsenal stars that could potentially be sold by the club.

After having their second bid for Rice rejected by West Ham on Tuesday, Arsenal remains determined to secure their number one summer target.

The most recent offer reportedly included an upfront fee of £75 million, along with £15 million in add-ons. However, the Hammers deemed the proposed add-ons unrealistic, leading to the rejection.

According to sources at the Independent, West Ham is insistent that the total value of Arsenal’s bid for Rice must meet their £100 million valuation.

Despite the setback, Arsenal is expected to make another bid for the England international, with the belief that they are inching closer to striking a deal. Manager Mikel Arteta is hopeful of completing the signing before the team embarks on their summer pre-season tour.

Notably, Manchester City has also shown interest in Rice, particularly if İlkay Gündoğan fails to sign a new contract, while Chelsea is said to be monitoring the situation closely.

Arteta has expressed his desire to make significant changes to Arsenal’s squad this summer, and it is anticipated that there will be several departures if Arsenal succeeds in signing Declan Rice.

The Independent reports that Arteta could oversee over £200 million in expenditure as Arsenal targets not only Rice but also Chelsea’s Kai Havertz, Southampton’s Romeo Lavia, and Ajax’s Jurrien Timber.

To offset this spending, Arsenal is open to listening to offers for players such as Kieran Tierney and Thomas Partey. Additionally, one of either Eddie Nketiah or Folarin Balogun could be made available, although Arsenal aims to retain one of them as cover in the attacking department.

While Balogun’s potential departure would come as little surprise to Arsenal fans, the potential exit of Nketiah would turn heads, considering his reliability as a backup to Gabriel Jesus throughout the season.

If Rice were to join Arsenal, he would become the club’s record signing, surpassing the £72 million paid for Nicolas Pepe in 2019. The 24-year-old recently lifted the Europa Conference League trophy with West Ham, and following the final, club owner David Sullivan stated his belief that it was Rice’s last appearance for the Hammers.

As negotiations continue and Arsenal’s pursuit of Rice intensifies, fans eagerly await further developments on the potential transfer.

The outcome of these discussions will significantly shape Arsenal’s squad for the upcoming season, as they aim to strengthen their midfield and compete for silverware on multiple fronts.