The fact that Manchester City is keen on signing in Declan Rice from West Ham, has been trending all over the news since the past two weeks. While Arsenal has already been trying to rope in the West Ham skipper into their side, Manchester City has now joined the race to bring Rice into their side, as they now plan to expand their side with more star studded players after winning the Champions League title earlier this month.
The two leading football clubs have now entered a bidding battle to finaluze a transfer deal Declan Rice from West Ham. The Hammers have already declined Arsenal’s previous two offers, with the last bid being £90 million, which was still less than the £100 million asking price West Ham has set for Rice’s transfer.
In the most recent update regarding the bidding battle, Manchester City has offered a whopping £90 million bid for Declan Rice, which includes an initial £80 million plus up to £10 million in add-ons, which is still less than West Ham’s asking price. The total, however, is the same as what Arsenal has offered (£75 million + £15 million in add-ons).
When it comes to Declan Rice’s preference, it is still understood as of now that the England midfielder favours a move to Arsenal once the ideal transfer price is set, despite Manchester City making a statement of intent with a bid for the West Ham skipper. If either of both clubs agree to match West Ham’s £100 million asking price, then the transfer could see Rice match the British record fee set by Jack Grealish’s 2021 move to City.
So what are the benefits that Rice might consider before finalizing which club to mive in to?
At Manchester City:
Declan Rice would be almost guaranteed success, given the side’s impeccable track record this past year, winning the Premiere League, FA Cup and the UESFA Champions League titles, all within a single season. The side has maintained an impressive win-loss ratio throughout 2022, better than that of bidding rivals Arsenal.
However, given the already strong line-up of the Manchester City squad, if the transition does not go smoothly, game time might be difficult for Rice. If that happens, it could be a repeat of what had previously happened with Jack Grealish from about a year ago. Grealish, who had moved into Man. City after a hefty transfer deal was placed on the bench for most of the biggest games due to the other star players getting a call on the field.
At Arsenal:
Rice would be central to manager Mikel Arteta’s plans, an automatic choice, as he was at West Ham, and a captain in waiting. In addition, there would be no relocation which, given he has a young family, may also be a factor.
