Former Chelsea midfielder Denis Zakaria has emerged as a potential option to replace Declan Rice at West Ham with Arsenal and Manchester City locked in a transfer battle for the 24-year-old. The Hammers have set an asking price of £100million for Rice after already rejecting two bids from the Gunners.
Arsenal's latest offer included an upfront fee of £75million plus £15million in add-ons. City entered the race on Monday night after submitting a proposal including an £80million fee plus £10million in add-ons, football.london understands.
The Hammers have now rejected City's bid with the race to sign Rice still open, football.london understands. The England international is thought to be settled in London and prefer a move to the Emirates Stadium - despite interest from the Premier League champions.
The Gunners are expected to return with an improved offer of their own soon as Mikel Arteta's side look to land the 24-year-old in a deal that would make him their club-record signing. The £72million spent on Nicolas Pepe currently remains the most the Gunners have ever spent on a player.
West Ham have accepted the reality that their captain will leave the club this summer and will look to reinvest any fee received from his sale into a suitable replacement. Chairman David Sullivan has made it no secret that Rice has likely played his last game in a claret and blue strip, admitting so after his side won the Europa Conference League.
Speaking about his skipper on talkSPORT earlier this month, Sullivan said: "I think it has to be [Rice's final game for West Ham]. We promised him he could go - he set his heart on going.
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"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 not something we want to happen.
"We offered him £200,000-a-week 18 months ago. He turned it down. It’s cost him £10million 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."
Now, Zakaria seems to have emerged as a leading candidate to replace Rice at West Ham. The Swiss midfielder spent last season on loan at Stamford Bridge but failed to claim a regular first-team spot.
Zakaria returned to Juventus after the Blues opted against activating their option to buy clause in the 26-year-old's loan deal. The Italian side are looking to raise funds this summer and could be open to selling the Swiss midfielder for a cut-price fee.
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