Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has sent a warning to Declan Rice ahead of his proposed £100million move to Arsenal this summer. Mikel Arteta wants to sign at least two new midfielders ahead of next season with Rice emerging as a priority target for the Gunners, as football.london reported in January.
The 24-year-old midfielder has played his final game for West Ham with chairman David Sullivan revealing that the Hammers will sell Rice this summer. Speaking 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. 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."
A report from the Guardian stated that the Gunners are closing in on an agreement with West Ham to sign Rice and are expected to complete a deal that will cost upwards of £100million, should add-ons included in the transfer be met. Now, Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg has revealed that West Ham are ready to accept Arsenal's offer.
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Plettenberg tweeted on Tuesday morning: "Arsenal is preparing a final bid of more than €100m plus bonus payments. West Ham is willing to say YES."
Carragher believes Rice will improve Arsenal heading into next season after their failed Premier League title challenge last term - but there is no guarantee that he will win trophies at the Emirates Stadium. "It is difficult with Declan Rice, and I think Harry Kane falls into this one too, they are at clubs that probably aren’t going to challenge for the Premier League or Champions League," Carragher told Metro.
"But unless you go to Man City, there is no guarantee you are going to come out with trophies that you want. You want to give yourself the opportunity and the tough question for Arsenal heading into next season is whether this was a one off or whether they can be consistent and challenging the biggest sides because it hasn’t happened for a long time.
"I always felt he [Rice] would end up at Chelsea, but he could go to Arsenal and it could go great for him. He’s a step up from what they’ve got but there is no guarantee he will go onto win the biggest trophies with them.
"It is so competitive now. I think he’s at the age now where he has got to go and show himself as one of the outstanding midfielders in European football so he has to make that move.
"To make that next step, like Jude Bellingham did when he was a bit younger when he joined Dortmund… Arsenal would be a really good fit for him and he will certainly step them up a level."
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