Ex Man United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made a big West Ham deal claim about Declan Rice that will amuse Arsenal.
West Ham fans had long known Declan Rice was going to be sold in the summer before he eventually completed his £105m move to Arsenal.
Hammers supporters had accepted their much-loved captain would depart for a good 18 months before he joined the Gunners but for a long time it seemed Manchester United would be a more likely destination.
Man United were the club seemingly most in need of the ex West Ham midfielder on and off the pitch.
And rumours abound for months it would be between the Red Devils and Rice’s boyhood club Chelsea to sign him from West Ham.
Arsenal arrived on the scene at the start of the year, though, and despite reported interest from Erik ten Hag, that’s where he ended up.
The Gunners have quickly realised what West Ham fans have been saying for years, that Rice is one of the very best around.
His performances for the Arsenal – against the backdrop of a dismal start to the season for Man United – have seen questions raised as to why the Old Trafford club did not try to sign Rice from West Ham.
Especially given they had Champions League football on offer after Rice had made his desire to play at that level publicly clear.
Now ex Man United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made a big West Ham deal claim about Rice that will amuse Arsenal.
Solskjaer has done an interview with The Athletic which has been raising eyebrows amid Man United’s struggles.
And in it Solskjaer claims Man United were going to sign Rice from West Ham for ‘a lot less’ than Arsenal paid.
As well as suggesting he had a bargain deal lined up with West Ham for new Arsenal hero Rice, Solskjaer also claims he wanted to bring a host of other top stars to Man United.
It reads like a fantasy novel and who’s who or world football’s top talent.
The claim will no doubt amuse Arsenal who will revel even more in the fact they managed to sign Rice from the Hammers ahead of the club still so often labelled the biggest in the world.
“We couldn’t buy the players I mentioned to the club,” Solskjaer said.
“Erling Haaland, before he made his Salzburg debut. Declan Rice, who wouldn’t have cost what he did in the summer. We discussed Moises Caicedo, but we felt we needed players ready for there and then.
“We wanted Jude Bellingham badly — he’s a Man United player, but I respect he chose Dortmund. That was probably sensible…
“I would have signed Kane every day of the week and my understanding was that he wanted to come. But the club didn’t have the budget with the financial constraints from Covid-19, there was no bottomless pit.”
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