Arsenal remain the frontrunners to sign Declan Rice but West Ham United will not bring in £100 million for the Premier League midfielder, according to a former England international.
Hammers boss David Moyes has made no secret of his belief that Rice – should he leave the London Stadium this summer – is destined to become Britain’s second nine-figure footballer.
Two years after Manchester City stumped up a UK record £100 million fee for then-Aston Villa talisman Jack Grealish, Arsenal may have to part with a similarly eye-watering sum if they want to make Declan Rice’s Champions League dreams become a reality at the Emirates.
TalkSPORT believe that Saudi-backed Newcastle are weighing up a swoop for Rice. Arsenal, however, remains his most likely destination. Rice is ‘excited’ about joining England team-mates Bukayo Saka, Ben White and co in the north of the city; Champions League football under Mikel Arteta perhaps the biggest draw for a man desperate to prove himself at the very highest level.
Danny Murphy, however, is dismissive of West Ham’s hopes of making Rice the joint-biggest sale in English football history.
Arsenal more likely than Newcastle to sign West Ham’s Declan Rice
“(A £100 million deal is) not gonna happen,” the former Liverpool midfielder tells talkSPORT (19 April, 12.50pm).
Murphy does, however, believe that Rice is likely to end up at Arsenal. Albeit for a much smaller fee than reports suggest.
“My hunch, now, is Arsenal,” Murphy said earlier in the year.
“Deep down, when you’re young and from a certain area, you might want to stay around your family. Maybe that Arsenal thing has become much more attractive.”
London-born Rice would have to oust Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka at the Emirates. Both will over 30 by August, however. And Murphy believes 24-year-old Rice will ‘comfortably’ command a place in Arteta’s first XI.
“(Rice) probably looks at that midfield and thinks; ‘I could get in that team comfortably’,” he adds.
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