West Ham United have immediately knocked back Arsenal's opening approach for club captain Declan Rice.
The Hammers skipper is expected to leave this summer as he goes in search of Champions League football, but the east London side will demand a significant fee. Arsenal are among the front-runners in the chase for the 24-year-old, with Bayern Munich cooling their interest in the England star.
Arsenal are expected to return with a fresh approach as they look to unite Rice with a number of his international colleagues at club level. However, they could yet be rivalled by Manchester City for the signing.