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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Marc Mayo

Arsenal legend reveals how he ‘tapped up’ Declan Rice for British record transfer

Arsenal legend Ian Wright has revealed he “begged” Declan Rice to join the club during a chat with the new Gunners signing earlier in the year.

In a visit to the England camp before their game with Italy in March, Wright chatted with Rice and Bukayo Saka in a scene which piqued Arsenal fans’ interest.

Many Gooners had hoped their former striker was putting in a good word for the midfielder to join the club and he has confirmed exactly that.

“Everyone was saying about when I went to the England squad, I was tapping him up,” he said on his Wrighty’s House show.

“Yes I f*****g was. Literally, I was begging him!”

Arsenal broke the British transfer record to land the West Ham captain and Wright cannot contain his excitment over the prospect of seeing Rice play for his team next season.

LIVE BLOG: Follow all the latest transfer news and rumours

“I don’t work for the club, I’m an Arsenal fan,” he explained.

“I said, ‘Look at you and Saka, how cool you lot look together’. It's just excitement, I can’t tell you how much I’m excited.”

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