Arsenal have strengthened their lead in the race for Declan Rice after it emerged that Bayern Munich are now concerned over their chances of signing him.
Rice, 24, has played his last ever game for West Ham, according to owner David Sullivan, having led the Irons to an historic Europa Conference League final victory over Fiorentina on Wednesday as captain. Now the England international has his eyes on playing for a Champions League club, which both Arsenal and Bayern are.
The two sides' interest has been well-documented in recent weeks, with German giants Bayern even holding talks with Rice and his father over a potential £95million move recently. However, Mirror Football understands that that Rice would prefer to remain in the Premier League which hands Arsenal a huge boost.
As reported by German outlet Ran, Bayern are already losing hope amid manager Thomas Tuchel's desire to make the 24-year-old his new midfield linchpin. They claim that Rice told West Ham head honcho Sullivan a while ago that he'd be joining Arsenal, who went close to winning the Premier League title last season, only to lose out after a late drop-off in form.
A switch to the Emirates would see the Irons captain remain in London, where his 11-month-old son, Jude, was born and is being raised. The report adds that Bayern's interest is now merely a one-sided love affair, with Tuchel about to be left heartbroken once the summer transfer window officially opens next Wednesday.
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Rice has remained non-committal when discussing his future, opting to focus on the here and now in the wake of West Ham's triumph in midweek. "Thank you to the fans, staff, my friends and my family for all the support," the midfielder posted on Instagram over the weekend. "I'm glad we could bring it home for you. It's an honour to captain this football Club. History makers."
Sullivan had previously revealed to talkSPORT when asked if the 2-1 win against Fiorentina would prove to be Rice's final game for West Ham: "I think it has to be. We promised him he could go. He set his heart on going. You can't ask for a man who has committed more to us this season.
"In due course, he has to get on and we have to get a replacement - or several replacements. It's cost him £10m to stay at West Ham in that time (in lost wages). And he wants to go. You can't keep a player who doesn't want to be there."
Just as Tuchel is desperate to have Rice in his team, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is also a big fan. However, it's set to cost the Gunners north of £100m if they want to sign him this summer.
West Ham manager David Moyes declared earlier this season that the Irons would only sell Rice if the fee involved broke the British transfer record. That'd eclipse the £107m which Chelsea paid to sign Enzo Fernandez from Portuguese heavyweights Benfica in January.
"When you see what's going about for the prices, I think Dec will be blowing that out of the water, that's for sure, when it comes around," Moyes affirmed.
