West Ham captain Declan Rice, has been on Manchester City’s radar and they are prepared to make a formal bid.
The seven-time Premier League champions have been aware for some time that they may need to restructure their midfield this summer due to heavy rumours around the futures of Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, and Kalvin Phillips.
The captain of Manchester City, Gundogan, has decided not to extend his contract at the Etihad Stadium and instead join Barcelona on a free transfer. Meanwhile, Silva has informed the first-time Champions League winners that he would like to move on due to interest from Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.
Following his £42 million transfer from Leeds, Phillips has not been a consistent starter and has even been linked with a move to West Ham, maybe to replace Rice, who appears certain to go this summer with just two years left on his deal.
Rice’s choice is to stay in London, and Arsenal has led the race to capture him by making two offers to West Ham. However, they have not been able to agree on a price since the Hammers are adamant in their assessment and majority owner David Sullivan is demanding a transaction worth at least £100 million plus add-ons.
According to reliable sources, City is now prepared to take action and has informed West Ham that a bid is on the way. Rice’s asking price may easily be met by Pep Guardiola’s team, but there may also be negotiations about putting Phillips in the deal despite his intention to stay and compete for a spot.
Mateo Kovacic’s transfer from Premier League rivals Chelsea is almost complete, but rumors suggest Manchester City still wants to add another midfielder. Joshua Kimmich of Bayern Munich is highly regarded, but Rice is seen as a much more likely arrival this summer because the Bundesliga’s top teams do not want to sell.
While West Ham hopes that a bidding war featuring Manchester United will get the best price for the 24-year-old, Arsenal is anticipated to come back with a third, significantly enhanced offer for Rice. The Red Devils are also looking to add a central midfielder, and they are aware that Scott McTominay, who recently shone for Scotland on the international stage, is a target for West Ham.
