Arsenal are set to prioritise a move for West Ham captain Declan Rice this summer as they look to bolster Mikel Arteta's squad even further, football.london understands. Rice's contract with the Hammers is set to expire at the end of next season which could see West Ham look to cash in on their star midfielder.
Rice has hardly played down speculation over his future after admitting that he wants to play for a club in the Champions League and compete at the top of the Premier League table. For a long time it seemed inevitable that the Hammers captain's next club would be Chelsea, where he spent his formative years before being released aged just 14.
The 24-year-old is attracting interest from a number of clubs in the Premier League including Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United, along with Real Madrid in Spain. Rice is said to favour a move that would see him stay in London, but United are hoping to offer him a huge financial package and outbid their rivals in an effort to see him partner up alongside Casemiro in Erik ten Hag's midfield.
