Mikel Arteta is reportedly planning to add a personal touch to ensure Arsenal beat Manchester United to West Ham star Declan Rice.
Declan Rice is likely to leave West Ham this summer with Arsenal and Manchester United said to be vying for his signature.
The Daily Star has claimed Arsenal are confident of signing Rice, who is valued at over £100m by West Ham.
But yesterday reports emerged from the likes of The Guardian claiming Man United boss Erik ten Hag has now made Rice a top target ahead of the summer window.
Rice absolutely dominated Man United in West Ham’s 1-0 win over the Red Devils last weekend.
And it seems that has reignited Man United’s interest – with their mega money takeover on the horizon.
Ten Hag has boldly claimed top players are eager to join Man United this summer (BBC Sport).
Mikel Arteta plans personal touch to ensure Arsenal beat Manchester United to West Ham star Declan Rice
For West Ham a bidding war is ideal.
Both Arsenal and Man United are clubs heading in the right direction after a period in the shadows.
They should both also be in the Champions League, which is key to any deal for Rice.
Which club would be best for Rice and which needs him more is the subject of much debate.
But Mikel Arteta plans to add a personal touch to ensure Arsenal beat Manchester United to West Ham star Rice.
Gunners boss believes face to face meeting could be clincher
In the modern game, big transfer deals are often handled well above manager level. Indeed the manager is often one of the last people to speak to a new signing or target, certainly face to face.
But word from behind the scenes at the Emirates that is being relayed to Hammers News, Arteta wants to sit down with Rice in person.
Because he believes he can help convince the Hammers star to join the Gunners over Man United or anyone else.
That backs up claims in reports from the likes of The Mirror earlier this month that Arteta has told Arsenal to make an official approach as soon as the season ends in a bid to beat rivals to Rice.
Bidding war is ideal scenario for Hammers
As silly as it may sound, a manager having a sit down with a transfer target is highly unusual in the modern game.
It remains to be seen whether Arteta’s plan to add a personal touch to Arsenal’s move will give them the edge over Man United.
Publicly, though, the Spaniard is refusing to engage in speculation he has made Rice is prime target.
Following talk of the interest from Man United, reporters tried to coax Arteta into discussing the matter.
But he insisted he is solely focused on Arsenal’s remaining three games and does not want to be distracted by talk of transfers.
“I think the conversation now has to be Brighton and the games that we have,” Arteta said (Express).
“We are playing to win the title, we want to be fully focused on that and all of those things are a distraction and we don’t want to be nowhere near that.”
MORE WEST HAM NEWS
Moyes lays out specific summer transfer plans despite doubts over his future.
Chris Sutton labels Lucas Paqueta a West Ham flop.
West Ham want Roma jewel after text conversations with Mark Noble.
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
