Arsenal are set to open talks with West Ham over a £90m move for Declan Rice, but the Hammers want to delay negotiations until their season ends.
![Arsenal now set to open talks over £90m Rice move 1 LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 26: Declan Rice of West Ham United looks on as they walk out of the tunnel prior to the Premier League match between West Ham United and Liverpool FC at London Stadium on April 26, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)](https://dailycannon.com/static/uploads/2023/05/west-ham-united-v-liverpool-fc-premier-league-1-1024x683.jpg)
The Daily Mail report that Arsenal are set to open talks with West Ham United over Declan Rice, with the Gunners willing to break their transfer record to make a £90m move for the midfielder.
West Ham reportedly value Rice at £100m, which could make things difficult. Though it seems personal terms won’t be an issue, with Arsenal willing to offer £300,000-a-week.
Mikel Arteta is targeting players who can add more physicality to his side in the summer window, and Rice fits that profile.
Elsewhere, the Evening Standard claim West Ham will delay any talks over Rice’s future until after their season ends.
That will either be on May 28th, at the end of the Premier League campaign, or June 7th, if they make the Europa Conference League final. They’re 2-1 up against AZ Alkmaar after the first leg, but they travel away to Alkmaar next.
![Arsenal now set to open talks over £90m Rice move 2 West Ham United's English midfielder Declan Rice reacts to their defeat on the pitch after the English Premier League football match between Crystal Palace and West Ham United at Selhurst Park in south London on April 29, 2023. - Crystal Palace won the game 4-3. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)](https://dailycannon.com/static/uploads/2023/05/fbl-eng-pr-crystal-palace-west-ham-1024x683.jpg)
The Standard add that Arsenal remain the favourites for Rice, but they claim West Ham could ask for as much as £120m, even more than the Mail’s reported £100m valuation.
If it were simply down to agreeing on a fee with West Ham, you’d imagine the deal would get over the line eventually. Rice is clearly keen to come, and West Ham seem to have accepted he’s on the way out, so a compromise would appear likely.
The problem will come if another club comes in and offers to meet West Ham’s demands. In that case, the situation becomes much more complex.
Granit Xhaka, meanwhile, has agreed to leave Arsenal at the end of the season.