The biggest and boldest transfer saga this month, centering around West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice, is nearing its end. The English international is finalizing his long-awaited and highly anticipated move to Arsenal. It’s not quite Here We Go time yet, but it is very close.
According to multiple sources, David Ornstein (“The Oracle of Arsenal”), Fabrizio Romano, Sky Sports, ESPN etc. Arsenal have succeeded with their third Declan Rice bid, as Manchester City have now dropped out of the running.
According to The Guardian, Arsenal submitted a bid “of £100m plus £5m in add-ons on Tuesday night and talks with West Ham over the structure of the deal are nearing completion.” Multiple reports indicate that City will not match or exceed this bid, which is for a grand total at £105m.
And you know what that means- we have a new transfer fee record for a British-born player. It’s very coincidental that this transfer market bidding way involves Man City, as they hold the current record on transfer spending for an English international.
The Etihad paid £100m to Aston Villa for Jack Grealish two summers ago.
Once all the ink is dry on this deal, Declan Rice will then hold the title.
This is a massive deal for West Ham, as they’ll have a huge financial windfall to work with on roster rebuild.
And it’s shaping up to be a huge statement window for Arsenal, who are adding Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber, Kai Havertz and of course a lot more to come.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.