West Ham are prepared to ask Arsenal for more money for Declan Rice and are “not happy with the payment structure” of their existing offer.
The Gunners submitted a bid of £100m plus £5m in add-ons on Tuesday night after their previous offer of £75m plus another £15m in add-ons fell short.
Manchester City have made their own bid of £80m plus £10m in add-ons but West Ham also turned that down as they look for a huge fee for the England international.
AfterThe Athletic‘s David Ornstein announced the latest offer from Arsenal for Rice,The Guardianjournalist Jacob Steinberg – who is well informed on West Ham – ɾєⱱєɑłєԀ that the Hammers are still not happy with the latest offer but have “not rєjєƈτed” it “out of hand”.
Steinberg wrote onTwitter: “West Ham have not accepted Arsenal’s latest bid of £105m for Declan Rice. They are not happy with the payment structure proposed by Arsenal. Talks ongoing – offer itself not rєjєƈτed out of hand – and West Ham expecting City to bid tomorrow.
“Some suggestions that Arsenal may need to go to £110m to get this done. West Ham wanting the guaranteed part of fee paid quickly. Problem for Arsenal could be City just coming up with better payment terms. Rice isn’t going to turn down Guardiola if that’s the offer on the table.”
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano gave his own update in his Caught Offside column:”The big news to start with is Arsenal and Declan Rice. As expected,the Gunners have submitted a third bidfor the West Ham United captain, offering £100m plus £5m in add-ons on Tuesday night. Arsenal really hope to get it done, Mikel Arteta is doing his best along with Edu. It’s also up to Manchester City now, let’s see if they bid again or leave the race.
“There will still be things to clarify, but Arsenal are very confident. It’s important to clarify that West Ham don’t have a precise price tag, but it’s the structure of the Ԁєɑł and payment terms that are important for West Ham. Arsenal feel small changes to the £105m bid can make it happen.”
CBS Sports journalist Ben Jacobs also took to Twitter to clarify the latest situation with the ɾєρօɾτer expecting West Ham to use Man City’s interest to get exactly what they want for Rice.
“Arsenal’s £100+5m third bid for Declan Rice, as ɾєρօɾτed by @David_Ornstein, has pretty much everything West Ham are looking for: it’s a £25m increase on the guaranteed fee from #AFC’s rєjєƈτed second offer and it’s above the £100m package the Hammers were hoping for.
“Arsenal and West Ham know Rice wants the move. This has been clear even before the opening bid was placed. Always been about #AFC and West Ham agreeing a package…
“Only thing that will change that is if #MCFC blow Arsenal out the water… but it appears #AFC have turned the tables in that respect.
“And it is totally normal for West Ham to haggle over parts, especially with the leverage of another potential #MCFC counter, and knowing Rice is such a priority for Arsenal. But #AFC are optimistic this bid will prove the framework for an agreement.”
