Premier League giants strongly join bid to sign Arsenal target Declan Rice: Reports

Manchester City are expected to rival Arsenal's bid to sign West Ham United star Declan Rice by making an offer on Thursday (June 22), according to The Athletic.

Rice, 24, has been a key player for West Ham since making his senior debut for them in a 2-1 away win against Burnley in the Premier League in May 2017. He has made 245 appearances across competitions for the Irons, bagging 15 goals and 13 assists.

As West Ham's captain, Rice led the club to their first major trophy since 1980, lifting the UEFA Europa Conference League earlier this month. However, the after the European triumph, the Hammers' chairman David Sullivan said that he expects the midfielder to leave the club this summer.

Rice, who is primarily a defensive midfielder, has long been identified as Arsenal's top target for the summer. The Gunners are widely said to be the frontrunners to sign the former Chelsea youth star ahead of the 2023-24 season.

However, Arsenal have struggled to reach an agreement with West Ham so far. They approached David Moyes' side with a club-record offer worth up to £90 million earlier this week. However, the bid was rejected without hesitation by the Irons, who value Rice at £100 million.

Manchester City, meanwhile, are set to step up their interest in the England international, according to the aforementioned source. They are poised to make an offer for the West Ham star on Thursday (June 22). It remains to be seen if the proposal will exceed Arsenal's bid and meet the Hammers' expectations.

The Cityzens are determined to strengthen their squad after winning the treble last term. They have reportedly already agreed a £30 million deal to sign Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea. However, with Ilkay Gundogan joining Barcelona on a free transfer, Pep Guardiola is keen to add Rice to his ranks.

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Arsenal strike deal to sign Chelsea attacker Kai Havertz

Arsenal are still prioritizing the signing of Declan Rice but might be forced to wait a little bit more. Meanwhile, they are edging closer to completing their first acquisition of the summer, having struck a deal with Chelsea to sign Kai Havertz.

Havertz, 24, will move to the Emirates Stadium for a deal worth up to £65 million, according to The Athletic. The Gunners will pay Chelsea an initial sum of 62 million plus another £3 million in add-ons. The German, for his part, has agreed personal terms with the north London giants and is expected to undergo a medical soon.

The attacker has also been linked with a move to Real Madrid and Bayern Munich this summer. However, both clubs were not willing to meet Chelsea's valuation, allowing Mikel Arteta's side to steal a march on them.

It's worth noting that Arsenal are also working on a deal to sign Jurrien Timber from Ajax. They made an opening offer of £30 million for the Dutchman earlier this week. However, the Eredivisie giants rejected the bid out of hand as they want £50 million for the defender.