West Ham boss David Moyes is ɾєρօɾτedly keen to see Declan Rice sign for Chelsea this summer despite rumours he is close to joining Arsenal.
Speculation that Rice could leave the London Stadium for the Gunners has been rumbling on all season with Mikel Arteta known to be a huge admirer of the England international.
Rice has been in brilliant form for the Hammers over the last few seasons and helped them to win the Europa Conference League this campaign.
The 24-year-old has previously expressed his desire to play Champions League football as soon as possibledespite being caught on camera telling a West Ham fan he was going “nowhere” this summer.
A ɾєρօɾτ earlier this week inThe Guardianhas claimed that Arsenal ‘are close to agreeing a fee with West Ham for Declan Rice and are expected to pay more than £100m for the midfielder if certain add-ons are achieved’.
AndThe Suninsists that West Ham are now ‘resigned to the fact that Declan Rice has set his heart on a move to Arsenal’ despite hopes they could force a ‘bidding war’ between the Gunners, Man Utd, Bayern Munich and Chelsea.
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West Ham boss David Moyes is ‘understood to prefer a Ԁєɑł withChelseainvolving Conor Gallagher in part-єxƈҺɑɴɢє’ but Rice is having none of it.
The Sunadds: ‘ButRicehas made it clear that he is not interested in a return to the club who released him at the age of 14.’
Despite the Hammers wanting £110m to allow Rice to leave the London Stadium this summer, the ɾєρօɾτ reckons West Ham and Arsenal will reach a £100m ‘compromise’.
But former Liverpool striker Stan Collymore reckons a transfer to Manchester United would be better for Rice than moving to Arsenal.
Collymore toldCaught Offside: “Declan Rice needs to go somewhere where he’s going to get the opportunity to be tested, put under pressure regularly both mentally and physically. Where he gets the opportunity to grow under a progressive coach.
“I know that the suggestion has beenArsenalbut I thinkMan Unitedis a better option. Why? Bigger football club, bigger expectations and I think they’ve been crying out for a dominant midfield force for some years now.”
Collymore added: “I’m not even convinced that Arsenal will finish in the Champions League positions over the next three, four, five years because Man United, Man City and Newcastle are going nowhere, Liverpool with potential investment are going nowhere and Todd Boely and Chelsea are going nowhere.
“If he wanted to go out of his comfort zone, I’d say go and test yourself. The test of Man United and the pressure that it brings being at one of the biggest clubs in the world, maybe the second biggest after Real Madrid, means that from my perspective I think Rice is playing it a little bit safe and he might regret that three or four years down the line.”
