Arsenal could find an advantage in the pursuit of Declan Rice this summer, with West Ham manager David Moyes reportedly open to a potential swap deal to fill the void left by the England international's departure.
The Gunners are believed to be the leading candidates to sign Rice, with the Athletic reporting on Monday that the club are keen to reunite the midfielder with his former Chelsea academy teammate and childhood friend Mason Mount in north London. They are expected to face competition from Manchester United to secure a deal for Rice.
Rice has just a year left on his contract at the London Stadium, with the Hammers having the option to extend his deal for another year. However, there now appears to have been an acceptance at the club that Rice's future lies elsewhere, with the prospect of delivering the Europa Conference League trophy as a parting gift to Irons fans.
According to FootballTransfers (via Football.London ), West Ham bosses are keen to recoup a lump sum for Rice, with a fee in the region of £85-95 million being discussed. Reports are now stating that the Hammers could be open to a swap deal, with Moyes keen to bolster his squad amid his star player's deparute.
As per the same reports, Arsenal are believed to hold three key names in a potential swap deal, with Reiss Nelson, Folarin Balogun and Albert Sambi-Lokonga all likely to be an attractive option for Moyes. Nelson's contract expires next month, while the latter two are expected to be subject to wider transfer interest in the coming months.
Balogun's 20 goals in Ligue 1 for Reims this season have seen him linked to a move away from Arsenal with AC Milan an option for the striker. Meanwhile, Lokonga is also expected to leave amid the summer's midfield overhaul and could become an appealing to option as West Ham seek to replace the all-action Rice with a similar profile of midfielder.
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United could also hold an appealing option in this regard, with Scott McTominay having been touted as being a potential makeweight in a swap deal for Rice. The Scotland international was part of the club's youth ranks when Moyes was United boss in 2013/14 and his compatriot could be keen for a reunion.
Speaking about his captain's future earlier this month, Moyes admitted that they were making preparations for the 24-year-old's departure amid interest from Europe's biggest clubs.
“We honestly hope he stays,” Moyes said. “We'd love for him to be a West Ham player but we are aware that might not be the case at the end of the season. So that's one of the scenarios around plans. There are plans that we have Dec here but we're also fully aware there is a good chance we won't have him.”
Rice will captain West Ham for what could be his final game in the Europa Conference League final in Prague next month, with Fiorentina their opponents as they seek to win a first major trophy since the FA Cup in 1980.
