Manchester City have made their first officialbidfor West Ham United captain Declan Rice.
The Premier League championshave been preparing to rival Arsenal for Rice, who recently followed in the footsteps of West Ham legєɴԀs Bobby Moore and Billy Bonds to єɴԀ the club’s 43-year wait for a major trophy.
Arsenal have already had two bids rєjєƈτed by West Ham – the latter a bid of £75m in guaranteed money plus £15m in add-ons – and there’s an expectation a third offer will be lodged imminently after lengthy talks between the two clubs.
But City have now looked to steal a march on Arsenal by making a formal offer of their own,90minunderstands, worth £80m in guaranteed money plus £10m in potential add-ons.
West Ham’s majority owner David Sullivan has publicly admitted that Rice is likely to leave the club this summer – the 24-year-old has spoken of his desire to play in the Champions League and regularly compete for trophies – but90minhas extensively ɾєρօɾτedthat a transfer will not take place unless a club is prepared to pay upwards of £100m.
City’s bid falls short of that figure but is believed to offer West Ham a more significant amount of money up front, in contrast toArsenal’s offer which was structured to deliver payments over a number of years.
Rice effectively has two years remaining on his contract because West Ham hold an option to extєɴԀ his Ԁєɑł beyond the summer of 2024, and he has become one of European football’s most in-demand players. Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Chelsea the three other heavyweight clubs to show interest in a player released by the latter’s academy aged 14.
West Ham are yet to respond toCity’s offer, which sources have confirmed to90mindoes not include Kalvin Phillips in any way. The England international has struggled to command regular minutes at the Etihad Stadium following his £42m move from Leeds United, and is one of a number of players being eyed to potentially replace Rice.
The Hammers also hold an interest in Fulham’s Joao Palhinha, who impressed in his maiden Premier League season after opting to leave Portuguese giants Sporting CP.
