Arsenal are said to be leading the race to sign Declan Rice from West Ham this summer.
Rice has turned down several offers of a new contract at West Ham and is expected to leave the club at the end of the season should a suitable offer arrive.
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The Hammers are understood to value the midfielder in excess of the British transfer record, ahead of anticipated interest from a host of the Premier League‘s top clubs.
Chelsea have been strongly linked with a move to sign Rice – who was released from the club’s academy aged 14 – this summer, but the west London side’s £106.8m capture of Enzo Fernandez and interest in Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham has made Arsenal favourites for the 24-year-old.
Arsenal want to sign a midfielder this summer after a failed bid for Brighton’s Moises Caicedo last month and the Telegraph are reporting that the Gunners are the front runners in the race for Rice.
Mikel Arteta’s side are top of the Premier League table and chasing a first league title since 2003/04, having created an exciting project with the recruitment of emerging talent.
The north Londoners look set to return to the Champions League next season and a move across the capital could see Rice join England teammates Aaron Ramsdale, Ben White, Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka at the Emirates.
The report says that Arsenal could also return for Caicedo at the end of the season, having seen two offers turned down in January. Brighton value the Ecuador international in excess of £60m.
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