Arsenal remain the favourites to sign Declan Rice this summer, but the Gunners reportedly wish to pay less than the £100m West Ham want as Manchester United try to complicate matters.

A recent report from The Times suggested that Arsenal were facing competition from Manchester United for Declan Rice’s signature this summer.

The Guardian confirm this is the case, with United planning to rival Arsenal for the transfer. But the Gunners remain Rice’s most likely destination, and the player is keen to play for Mikel Arteta.

The problem is that West Ham are indicating they want £100m for the midfielder, and Arsenal reportedly could be unwilling to pay that amount.

If United stump up the cash, we could end up with a situation akin to Mykhaylo Mudryk’s in the winter window.

The player was primarily interested in a move to Arsenal, but Chelsea were the only club to agree a deal with Shakhtar Donetsk, so that’s where he went.

As with Mudryk, there are plenty of potential suitors for Rice this summer.

Arsenal have the edge over the likes of Chelsea due to their confirmed status as a Champions League club next season, but United are likely to be joining the Gunners in Europe’s top-tier competition.

Arsenal will hope that their talented and youthful side coming off the back of a more impressive league campaign will help to convince Rice to pick them instead. The Gunners sit 18 points ahead of United as it stands.

But if West Ham don’t agree a deal with Arsenal, Rice may never get the chance to make that choice.