Arsenal have made a third offer for West Ham’s Declan Rice worth £105m, which, if accepted, would make him the most expensive British player ever.
The deal is split into an upfront fee of £100m, plus £5m in performance-related add-ons.
The offer breaks Arsenal’s transfer record – the £72m they paid Lille for Nicolas Pepe in 2019.
Rice has been Arsenal’s main target this summer and the player’s preferred destination is the Gunners.
Sky Sports News reported on Monday night that Premier League champions Manchester City had offered £80m up front, plus £10m in add-ons for the England midfielder, but the offer is less than West Ham’s valuation.
Arsenal had a club record £90m offer, comprising a £75m fee and £15m in add-ons, turned down by their London rivals earlier this month after their initial offer, which was thought to worth £80 million plus add-ons was also rejected.
Rice’s West Ham valuation remains at £120m, but it is understood the club would accept £100m plus a player.
Rice will leave West Ham in the final season after having captained the club to its first European trophy in 58 years.
Hammers president David Sullivan said a gentlemen’s agreement means Rice can leave despite having a year left on his contract, with the option to extend it for another 12 months.
Rice joined West Ham’s academy from Chelsea as a teenager and has been an ever-present since their breakout season in 2017-18. He took over the captaincy after Mark Noble’s retirement last year.
The 24-year-old made 50 appearances in all competitions last season as West Ham finished 14th in the Premier League, before winning the Europa Conference League in Prague.
Rice has made more than 200 appearances for West Ham and has also made 41 appearances for England since her international debut in 2019.
Follow the summer transfer window with Sky Sports
Who will be on the move this summer before the transfer window closes at 11pm on September 1 in England and midnight in Scotland?
Keep up to date with the latest transfer news and rumors on our dedicated Transfer Center blog on Sky Sports digital platforms. You can also catch up with the ins and outs and analysis on Sky Sports News.
