With interest from both Arsenal and Bayern Munich, the England international has a decision to make or has he already made it?

• Bayern Munich, under Thomas Tuchel, is looking to lure West Ham’s Declan Rice with a record-breaking £85 million offer.
• Despite Bayern’s hefty offer, Rice is believed to be leaning towards joining Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, where he can remain in London.
• Amid the changes at Bayern, Arsenal offers Rice stability and a prominent role, intensifying this summer’s compelling transfer saga.

Notably, Bayern’s charm offensive, led by Thomas Tuchel, has attempted to woo Rice with the allure of becoming a central figure in Munich’s midfield.

Bayern have even proposed to shatter their transfer record with an offer as high as £85 million.

But the player’s preference appears to lean towards joining Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.

The notion of Rice in an Arsenal jersey is not new. Arteta is determined to bring the holding midfielder to the Emirates according to The Times, a move that would see Rice remain in London and not disrupt his young family’s life.

It’s clear that Rice’s ability to provide solid defensive cover while supporting attacking transitions has turned heads.

Tuchel explicitly praised these attributes during his phone conversation with Rice, underscoring his dissatisfaction with current Bayern options.

However, the landscape at Bayern is not static.

The sacking of sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic and CEO Oliver Kahn, along with the potential exit of several key players, introduces uncertainty into Rice’s potential move to Munich.

Meanwhile, Arsenal, eager to bolster their midfield, could offer Rice the stability and prominent role he might be seeking.

Speaking recently, Rice said about his future, “My main focus this season, from the World Cup onwards, has been getting us out of a relegation battle and, of course, having one eye on winning this trophy.

“Everything else is just noise and speculation. Obviously, I can’t help that, it comes with playing. But my main focus is playing for West Ham and winning this final.

“My heart’s set on that, doing it for the club, for my family, for the fans and that’s my only focus. I want to make them all very happy and my focus is on doing that.”

Rice’s decision will undoubtedly make for a compelling storyline this summer.

The player’s choice, it seems, hangs in the balance and will not be made until after West Ham’s Europa Conference League final next week.