Declan Rice off the menu as Arsenal make huge bid for West Ham’s heir apparent Moises Caicedo in sudden twist.
West Ham fans have had to endure more speculation surrounding their captain Rice recently with unlikely title hopefuls Arsenal throwing their name around as Chelsea have before them (Eurosport).
Reports recently from the likes of The Guardian claim that Rice now favours a move to Arsenal, whose progress under Mikel Arteta is said to have impressed him.
West Ham fans know only too well that the club has allegedly privately agreed to sell the midfield ace in the summer.
And Arsenal were heavily rumoured to be waiting to take him to the Emirates.
The man West Ham are reportedly looking to sign as Rice’s replacement is Brighton star Caicedo (The Daily Mail).
Talk of interest from the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea in Caicedo had gone quiet of late, giving West Ham hope they might be able to use the Rice money to sign the Ecuadorian in the summer.
But Rice is off the menu as Arsenal make a huge bid for West Ham’s heir apparent Caicedo in a sudden twist.
According to Sky Sports, the Gunners have made an official £60m bid for Caicedo.
Declan Rice off the menu as Arsenal make huge bid for West Ham’s heir apparent Moises Caicedo in sudden twist
The report claims that the initial bid is expected to be rejected with Brighton insisting Caicedo is not for sale.
Last week, Seagulls boss Roberto de Zerbi said Caicedo will be allowed to move in the summer.
“The best solution is that he finishes the season with us and in the summer he changes teams,” De Zerbi said.
It leaves Rice and West Ham in a strange situation. On one hand it is reported Arsenal and Arteta want the Hammers talisman in the summer.
But Caicedo is the same type of player and there would not be room for both in the Gunners side.
So it will clearly be one or the other and Arsenal’s official opening bid suggests Arteta has made his choice.
The Gunners will surely now try again before Tuesday’s deadline.
Interestingly, Chelsea – the other club who have been endlessly linked with their former academy reject Rice – are also being linked with Caicedo.
The fact Arsenal and Chelsea are in the mix suggests that whatever happens, West Ham will not be signing Caicedo in the summer.