Arsenal close in on £90m deal for European hero Rice

Arsenal are confident of sealing a deal to sign Declan Rice after the midfielder captained West Ham to a dramatic victory over Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final.

Rice is Arsenal’s top target and they intend to move quickly to try to fend off interest from Bayern Munich, Manchester United and Newcastle.

Mikel Arteta’s side are leading the race for the 24-year-old and talks with his club are expected to accelerate soon. West Ham hope to receive at least £100m for Rice. Arsenal want to pay about £90m. The expectation is that Rice will make the switch.

West Ham’s chairman, David Sullivan, confirmed that Rice would be allowed to leave. “We promised him he could go,” he told TalkSport. “He set his heart on going and in due course he has to get on and we have to get a replacement.

“We offered him £200,000 a week 18 months ago and he turned it down. You can’t keep a player who doesn’t want to be there. Three or four clubs have shown interest but, out of respect, while we’re still playing, you don’t make offers for players.”

Sullivan also said West Ham have no plans to sack David Moyes. They will hold talks with the manager to see whether he wants to stay.

Rice joined West Ham’s academy after leaving Chelsea at the age of 14 and he will depart as a club legend after the Conference League triumph. It was the perfect way for Rice to say farewell to West Ham, who had not won a major trophy for 43 years.

Rice’s deal expires next June, with the club option of an additional year, and he wants to play in the Champions League. Thomas Tuchel, Bayern’s manager, has spoken to him but it is unlikely that Rice, who became a father last year, will want to go to Germany. Arsenal could be made to sweat if there is a late move from United, who are looking to strengthen their midfield.