West Ham will be furious after BBC pundit’s blatant admission about the ‘tapping up’ of Declan Rice for his Arsenal move.
It is fair to say there is no love lost between West Ham and Arsenal after the British record £105m move was confirmed yesterday.
David Sullivan has had his say, making it clear West Ham did not want to sell Rice to Arsenal or indeed anyone.
It has not gone unnoticed by Arsenal, their fans and the media that there was no mention of the Gunners in any of the official confirmation statements.
Arsenal fans have been taking great delight in snatching away West Ham’s crown jewel. And the move has cut many Hammers fans deep, even if there has never been a great rivalry between West Ham and Arsenal.
Especially after it became known that Rice had made it clear he ‘only wanted to join Arsenal’. And the move had been on the cards as far back as December.
West Ham and Arsenal relations fractious after ‘reluctant’ Rice deal
One of the big reasons Rice wanted to join the Gunners – besides remaining in London – was Mikel Arteta.
Danny Murphy recently revealed Rice told him ‘Arteta was magic’ and he was ‘buzzing’ to get started with Arsenal.
The long, drawn out nature of the ‘reluctant’ deal between West Ham and Arsenal led to reports of relations becoming fractious.
Particularly as the delay has impacted West Ham’s own summer transfer activity – according to none other than David Moyes himself yesterday.
That was reinforced by West Ham omitting any mention of Arsenal in their own announcement.
West Ham will be furious after BBC pundit Ian Wright’s blatant admission about ‘tapping up’ of Declan Rice for Arsenal move
Arteta has tried to keep things civil with his comments on West Ham after sealing the deal for Rice.
But West Ham will be furious after BBC pundit Ian Wright’s blatant admission about his ‘tapping up’ of Rice for the Arsenal move.
Gunners legend Wright clearly has zero allegiance to West Ham despite spending two memorable years with the club after leaving Arsenal as a player.
Because he has admitted ‘tapping up’ Rice for the move to Arsenal while the midfielder was in the midst of captaining West Ham through a serious relegation battle back in March.
Wright so wrong: ‘Yes I f’ing was tapping up Rice for Arsenal move’ admits former Hammer
“Everyone was saying about when I went to the England squad (in March), I was tapping him up – yes I f’ing was,” Wright unashamedly admits on Wrighty’s House.
“Literally, I was begging him!
“I don’t work for the club, I’m an Arsenal fan. I said, “look at you and Saka, how cool you lot look together” – It’s just excitement.”
That is quite frankly a disgraceful thing for Wright to have done given his links to both clubs.
Especially as West Ham were in such a perilous position at the time too.
And as the likes of Rio Ferdinand have discovered, West Ham fans won’t forget.
MORE WEST HAM NEWS
Barnes surely on his way to West Ham after Newcastle development.
West Ham better without Rice if Moyes pulls off rumoured masterstroke.
Rice’s bizarre warning to West Ham about when he plays against them.
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
