Arsenal have leapfrogged Chelsea to become favourites to sign West Ham captain Declan Rice next summer, according to multiple reports.
The England international has been a long-term target for the Blues but it appears as though Graham Potter’s side have cooled their interest in the player.
There has been a mixed reaction to the news on Twitter. Some fans are happy for Rice to join the Gunners while others feel that Chelsea will still beat their rivals to the midfielder’s signature:
Arsenal can have him
— Nakamora (@ChuksofAbj) January 16, 2023
he will never join them😂
— Doukas Jenalis (@jenalisd) January 16, 2023
Be my guest I don’t like rice anyway.
— III_Zero-Day_III (@gamer_gal_1991) January 16, 2023
Don’t worry we will hijack that one too
— Slim Mane1 (@Slim_Mane_) January 16, 2023
Arsenal can only sign a player if Chelsea let them 😂
— Piers Awramenko 🇺🇦 (@awrpiers) January 16, 2023
We don't want him, arsenal can have him
— Tweezy (@twarahbryan) January 16, 2023
Another heartbreak loading for them 😹😹😹
— BadBoy_Zenaldo 👑🎤🔥 (@ceezhed) January 16, 2023
Doing us a favour tbh
— TAT97 (@tatv1997) January 16, 2023
Todd will act when arsenal submit an official bid. 😂😂😂
— Atoht Manje Mw (@Atohtmanje) January 16, 2023
It is an interesting development, especially considering the Blues have only recently hijacked Arsenal’s attempts to sign Mykhailo Mudryk.
Whether the reverse will happen with Rice, we shall have to wait and see, but a lot can happen between now and the summer when the transfer is likely to take place.
The 23-year-old is expected to cost at least £75m, with some reports indicating that West Ham may want in excess of £100m, so it may come down to who is prepared to stump up the cash.