Football can sometimes work in mysterious ways and Arsenal could end up being the beneficiaries at some point during the summer transfer window.
For one reason or another, the Gunners' bid to get a deal wrapped up for Mikel Arteta's priority signing Declan Rice as quickly as possible hasn't quite gone to plan and there's every chance a transfer saga develops amid talk of Premier League champions Manchester City weighing up an offer of their own.
Out of respect for West Ham United, Arsenal delayed submitting a first formal offer until after the England international had captained the side to a historic win over Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final. However, that bid - which football.london understands would have seen the Gunners pay £80million over six years with at least £10million in add-ons - was rejected instantly.
A second bid has since been turned down also and whilst a third is thought to be imminent, it's understood that the north London outfit simply have to match the Hammers' asking price for Rice and the midfielder will be theirs - regardless of Man City's attempts - given the midfielder's preference.
Furthermore, football.london understands any offer that goes beyond the £100million threshold would be an acceptable price. Alternatively, West Ham are open to receiving a significant amount of any guaranteed fee paid upfront to aid their search in finding a replacement.
As things stand, Nicolas Pepe is Arsenal's club-record signing following his £72million transfer from Lille in the summer of 2019. But it's almost certain that the Ivory Coast winger won't have that honour for much longer especially if Rice's arrival is confirmed before September 1.
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In addition, if Arsenal do end up signing Rice this summer, they could be in a position to recoup a percentage of the transfer fee immediately as Matteo Guendouzi has previously been tipped for a return to England as a potential replacement for the West Ham captain.
Of course, the Frenchman only left the Emirates Stadium on a permanent basis last summer following a successful loan spell in the 2021/22 season but according to The Athletic, Arsenal negotiated a sell-on clause with Marseille meaning they will pocket a percentage of the transfer fee if he does leave the Orange Velodrome.
It's not clear as to what the exact percentage is, but with a €30million (£25million) valuation, as per CIES Football Observatory, one can assume that the Gunners are in line to benefit financially if the Ligue 1 outfit make a profit on Guendouzi - whom they signed for a reported £9.4million - and it just so happens that West Ham could play a role in helping to make that happen.
It should be noted, however, that Guendouzi may not be who David Moyes has in mind as a replacement for Rice as recent reports have claimed that Fulham's Joao Palhinha is also on the radar, although it's been suggested that he is rated at £90million by the west London side.
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