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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
John Brewin

Arsenal or Manchester City: who is it going to be for for Declan Rice?

Declan Rice makes a surprise appearance at Dickerage Sports and Community Centre in partnership with Muller Rice
Summer transfer saga No 1, earlier. Photograph: David Parry/PA

DEC OR GLORY?

The transfer window has served up a right old tug o’war. Arsenal or Manchester City? Mikel Arteta’s brave young Gunners or Pep Guardiola’s masters of the universe? This always seemed likely on the Prague night that Declan Rice, in tears, held aloft Tin Pot having inspired the Hammers to victory as captain, leader, legend, cashable asset. Deja vu for Arsenal, then? Just when a prize is within their fingers, in sail City to pluck it away? The word is that Dec previously had his heart set on being a Gunner. Not that the three-cap Republic O’Ireland/43-cap England international is given to changing his mind. Last season, a £100m asking price was thrown liberally around at the Hammerdome to just about anyone who asked, co-owner David Sullivan admitting in the aftermath of Tin Pot glory that “[Dec] set his heart on going”.

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