Man City pull out of bidding war for Declan Rice after new £105m offer placed
Arsenal are said to be finalising an agreement for the West Ham and England midfielder
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Manchester City have formally pulled out of negotiations to sign Declan Rice, placing Arsenal in pole position for the West Ham midfielder’s signature.
Arsenal’s third bid worth £105million has seemingly proved too much for City to match, as the Manchester side withdrew from the negotiating table.
Should Arsenal’s latest bid of £100million up front with £5million in add-ons be successful, the fee would eclipse the British record Manchester City paid Aston Villa for Jack Grealish.
Two previous Gunners bids for the 24-year-old fell short of the £100million mark and were duly rejected, but such an escalation in the fee is tipped to get the deal over the line.
Declan has a decision to make
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Treble winners City had a £90million bid rejected on Tuesday and have since pulled out of negotiations.
Manchester City have reportedly turned their attention to Spanish talent Gabri Veiga, entering the race with Liverpool and Chelsea for the 21-year-old’s signature.
The Celta Vigo player is said to have a €40million release clause.
Last year, Manchester City signed English midfielder Kalvin Phillips from Leeds on a six-year contract for a base fee of £42million with £3million in potential add-ons.
City bought an English central midfielder last year for £42million
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The once highly prized English midfielder reportedly takes home a £150,000 a week salary but has played just 593 minutes for Manchester City, the equivalent of six and half matches.
Renowned football journalist, Fabrizio Romano, believes Arsenal expect the deal to be 100 per cent agreed today or tomorrow, saying “all parties discussing on key details as the agreement looks imminent.”
Rice’s contract at the London Stadium expires in 2024, though he has the option of a one-year extension.
Following West Ham’s Europa Conference League victory over Fiorentina earlier this month, chairman David Sullivan said he was "99 per cent" sure Rice would leave West Ham in the summer.
Rice with the Europa Conference League cup
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On potential movements, Sullivan said: "West Ham is a very proper club, and we do things in a proper way.
"At the same time, we don't want some club having us over and a replacement is going to cost 50 to 60 million and they're not going to be as good as him."
Upon winning the Europa Conference League, Rice became only the third West Ham captain to lift a trophy for the club, following in the footsteps of the great Bobby Moore, who lifted the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1965, and Billy Bonds, who led the Hammers to the FA Cup in 1975 and 1980.
Rice has racked up 245 caps and scored 15 times for West Ham, having made his debut in the 2016-17 season after coming through the academy.
He has secured 41 times England caps so far, featuring in all five of their matches at last winter's World Cup.
Earlier this month, England midfielder Jude Bellinghamsigned for Real Madrid for an initial £88.5m, although that deal could reach £115m if add-ons are activated.
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