Arsenal have made significant steps towards securing a transfer for Declan Rice in the past few days as recent reports claim that talks over personal terms have advanced. The 24-year-old is set to leave West Ham this summer as he reaches the final two-years remaining on his contract.
A Europa Conference League victory may well see out his time as Hammers captain, with chairman David Sullivan admitting that a move is likely. football.london understands that Rice is a priority target for the Gunners this summer as they look to bolster their midfield ranks.
However, the side won't be drawn into a bidding war for the England international's signature and will back out if they are priced out of a deal. Manchester United and Bayern Munich have been heavily linked with a swoop, but a report from the Athletic states that Manchester City are interested in Rice too.
It could see Pep Guardiola perform a transfer hijack that would see the midfielder move from being a prime Arsenal target, straight to their title rivals. Mikel Arteta will certainly be hopeful that isn't the case, with the north London outfit making their first big moves in the transfer saga.
football.london understands that a first bid was lodged to West Ham in recent days, sitting at £80million guaranteed with at least £10million in add-ons. That offer has been turned down, but it's often a negotiation tactic to start off lower than the set valuation.
At some point, there may have to be some advances made on agreeing an overall fee, but in the background there's plenty of work going on. One of the key aspects of any modern day transfer will be getting the player on board and usually agreeing personal terms before a transfer is agreed.
READ MORE: Arsenal news and transfers LIVE: Declan Rice bid made, Kai Havertz offer, Joao Cancelo deal
There will be plenty of hope in that side being sorted soon as Fabrizio Romano reports that Arsenal have significantly advanced on Rice's personal terms. It means the north London outfit could be nearing an agreement, which the reporter claims has put them in a position to start bidding with West Ham.
With other teams lurking in the background and a fee yet to be agreed, it remains to be seen whether Arsenal can secure a final deal. However, the advancement on personal terms will be music to the ears of those on the red half of north London.
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