A journalist has claimed the West Ham board believe Manchester United will blow Arsenal away by meeting their Declan Rice asking price.
Just over a week ago Arsenal were said to be clear frontrunners to sign Declan Rice from West Ham.
But Bayern Munich and Manchester United have since emerged as serious contenders for the beloved West Ham captain’s signature.
For West Ham, a bidding war is clearly the ideal scenario. And that is exactly what is about to play out thanks to Man United and Arsenal it seems.
West Ham have publicly stated they value Rice at as much as £120m. Arsenal are said to have offered around £90m for the Hammers talisman.
Journalist claims West Ham board believe Manchester United will blow Arsenal away by meeting Declan Rice asking price
But now a journalist claims the West Ham board believe Manchester United will blow Arsenal away by meeting their Rice asking price.
Speaking in his latest transfer column for the Mail, Simon Jones says West Ham’s hierarchy are confident Man United will blast the Gunners out of the water as a statement of intent with their takeover on the horizon.
“Arsenal are preparing to offer a structured bid of around £90m for Rice but that’s not enough in David Moyes’s eyes,” Jones states.
“West Ham want close to £120m and believe Manchester United would be willing to pay it.”
If that is the case then unless Arsenal add £30m to their proposed offer, they will have no chance of signing Rice.
Hey Jude, don’t make it bad
Especially as Bayern Munich are also said to be willing to meet West Ham’s asking price.
There could be one big problem for West Ham, though, which will not have gone unnoticed by those directing transfers at Man United and Arsenal.
And that is the fact Real Madrid have agreed a £100m deal to sign Jude Bellingham from Dortmund.
Manchester United, Arsenal and indeed Bayern can now all legitimately argue that deal has set the market price when it comes to Rice.
West Ham hold all the cards this summer. But it remains to be seen whether they have the bottle for some brinkmanship.