Arsenal Earmark Declan Rice as the Top Priority Signing in the Summer

According to reports in England, Arsenal have placed Declan Rice on top of their transfer wishlist for the 2023 summer transfer window. The defensive midfielder is most likely to leave West Ham at the end of this season and the Gunners have emerged as the favourites to sign him.

The English midfielder is a top target for multiple Premier League clubs. Chelsea had already established their interest in the player while Manchester City and Manchester United are also reported to be interested. Now, the Gunners have also come to realise what impact Rice could have on their current squad.

Arsenal will have to break the bank if they want to bring Declan Rice to the Emirates Stadium. West Ham United manager David Moyes is of the belief that the 24-year-old’s transfer is capable of breaking the record for the most expensive British player ever as well the most expensive British transfer, recently set by Chelsea for Enzo Fernandez.

According to Ben Jacobs of CBS Sports (via Sports Illustrated), Declan Rice is now the topmost priority signing for Arsenal in the summer. The Gunners are deemed as the front-runners to secure his signature, with Champions League football being a big factor in deciding his destination.

With West Ham battling relegation this season, the England international will certainly depart from the club, but the North London side would have to be ready to fend off interest from other interested clubs. Mikel Arteta’s side is ready to challenge in a bidding war, but Chelsea would not go down without a fight.

🚨 EXCLUSIVE 🚨

Arsenal have made Declan Rice their top summer target.

The Gunners are currently the favourites, but don't rule out another Chelsea hijack!

(@JacobsBen) pic.twitter.com/W0LZ7EZvpw

— CaughtOffside (@caughtoffside) February 8, 2023

Meanwhile, the 24-year-old is inclined towards joining the Gunners in the summer as the prospect of playing under Mikel Arteta is more appealing to him, as reported by The Guardian. The defensive midfielder is impressed with how the Spaniard has transformed the team into title contenders this season.

The plans that Arteta has laid out for Rice and how he will fit into his team has the midfielder intrigued. Moreover, West Ham are having a far more disappointing campaign compared to what they achieved in the previous seasons while Chelsea’s poor form is not helping them to create a case for themselves in the negotiations.

Arsenal already have Thomas Partey in fine form but they lack a proper backup option for him if he is to get injured or suspended. It’s looking difficult to find a cheap replacement in the Premier League and Declan Rice would be an elite competition for the Ghana international as well as Granit Xhaka.

🚨Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City are all interested in signing 24-year-old Declan Rice.
🔴#AFC🔵#CFC🔴#MUFC🔵#MCFC pic.twitter.com/11VEBhUvuI

— Ekrem KONUR (@Ekremkonur) February 15, 2023

Meanwhile, the North London side have loaned Albert Sambi Lokonga to Crystal Palace till the end of this season. They will be hopeful that the 23-year-old Belgian shines during his loan spell and saves them from spending more on midfield.

Arsenal march on in the Premier League as they strive to end their 19-year-long wait of winning the league. The Gunners will need quality squad depth if they want to compete in the Champions League where they have to take on the biggest clubs in the world. The Arsenal project is certainly tempting for any player, especially for a player like Declan Rice who will be entering his peak years.

Should Arsenal Complete The Big-Money Signing Of Declan Rice?

Arsenal have lost only one match in the Premier League this season in which Thomas Partey has taken part. The 29-year-old Ghanaian has played an excellent role in screening the defence and distributing the ball throughout the pitch. He has set-up a formidable partnership with Xhaka, with the Swiss back in form for the North London club.

If Arteta plays Rice and Partey in the same midfield, it will lose the creativity that links the defence with the attack. Benching one of them will be an afterthought because of the abilities both the players bring to the pitch. They are levels above being a rotation player or making appearances off the bench.

If Arteta wants to succeed with both Rice and Partey in the starting XI, he will have to tweak his system or change the roles of his players. He will have to let the Ghanaian play as a number 8 since he has better ball distribution than Rice. The Spaniard could also play a 4-3-3 formation with the Englishman as the holding midfielder, with Partey and Martin Odegaard playing alongside him.

It is an obvious fact that West Ham will not let Declan Rice leave so easily. They will need the money to find an able replacement for the English international as quickly as possible. His absence will create a gigantic void in the Hammers midfield, so they will do everything in their power to stick to their price tag.

If the Gunners are looking for a cover for Thomas Partey, they might have to look for other options. A backup signing so expensive could turn out to be bad business for the North London side in the long run.

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