Man Utd transfers: Ten Hag ‘rockets to the top’ £100m Solskjaer target as Arsenal are emphatically blown away
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has blasted his way to the front of the queue to sign Declan Rice, leaving Arsenal’s plans in tatters and Mikel Arteta facing more transfer misery.
The England midfielder is primed to leave West Ham this summer having taken the Hammers as far as he can. He has made clear his desire to leave the London Stadium and play at a higher level, with Champions League football very much in his sights.
That has led to speculation of a move across London to Arsenal, with the Gunners already guaranteeing their place back among the elite. Indeed, it has been reported that there is a confidence among the Gunners hierarchy that a club-record deal for Rice will be struck.
They were reportedly planning to offer Rice a five-year deal worth around £300,000 a week.
However, Rice appears to have taken his game to a higher level lately. A spectacular goal against Genk in the UEFA Conference League, in which he carried the ball half the length of the field before slotting in, appears to have reinvigorated interest elsewhere.
Indeed, as per The Sun, Manchester United are among those to have taken note once again. Previously on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s wishlist, it’s reported Ten Hag has ‘long been an admirer’ of the 24-year-old.
And a brilliant showing against the Red Devils recently in the Premier League has seen him ‘rocket to the top’ of Ten Hag’s wishlist.
The team’s coaching staff were ‘all talking about Rice’ in the aftermath of the game, which the Hammers won 1-0.
Man Utd ready to blow Arsenal away in hunt for Rice
And they view him as a perfect candidate to come into the side and form a solid partnership with Casemiro.
Arsenal had previously expected West Ham to sell Rice for a fee of around £80m. He has a year left on his deal, although the Hammers do retain a one-year option on that.
United’s interest though has prompted West Ham to raise that fee to nearer the £100m mark. And David Moyes hints it may take a fee exceeding the British record £106.7m Chelsea spent on Enzo Fernandez
Moyes said on Sunday: “Declan is the best English midfielder around. And that is why he is going to be extremely expensive.”
As a result, it is claimed United are ready to go all the way in the race for Rice. And with a greater spending capacity than Arsenal, there is a belief at United that Rice can be lured north.
Rice’s England teammates Luke Shaw and Marcus Rashford can also play their part in convincing him to sign.
Furthermore, United can part fund the signing of Rice by offloading Newcastle target Scott McTominay. The Scotland midfielder could fetch up to £45m, offering them a fair chunk of the fee needed to sign Rice.
Arsenal are reportedly aware of the situation and fear being drawn into a bidding war over the player.
As a result, the Gunners are seemingly turning their attention elsewhere. And a report claims they will likely turn their focus back towards a former star to boost their midfield.
READ MORE: Arsenal prepare colossal €70m offer to tempt former star back to Emirates
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