Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta believes West Ham star Declan Rice only wants to join the Gunners and a move is "closing in", according to reports.
Who could join Arsenal this summer?
It's set to be a pivotal summer at the Emirates Stadium and one which could well determine whether the north Londoners maintain their place among England's elite next season.
Arsenal narrowly missed out on their first league title in nearly 20 years last season, with Pep Guardiola's treble-winners beating them to the punch, but reports suggest that Arteta is determined to reshape and improve.
Central midfield is of top priority this window, leading to their serious chase for Rice and Brighton star Moises Caicedo among others. Man City captain Ilkay Gundogan, as he nears the end of his contract, is also of serious interest in north London.
Meanwhile, in terms of other positions, it is believed that Arsenal are now targeting Chelsea star Kai Havertz for the forward areas, and there have been links to potential additions at right-back.
Going back to Rice, the pursuit is hotting up, with TEAMtalk sharing what they know on the situation amid advanced negotiations.
It is believed they're on the brink of finalising an agreement for the 24-year-old, who has just won the Europa Conference League and his first major trophy at West Ham. However, there is one final hurdle to clear, which is the compromise on a final fee.
The Irons are hoping for around £100 million plus add-ons for their prized asset, but Arsenal would rather pay closer to the £90m mark. Despite this, Arteta's side are very much "closing in", and the Gunners boss has "never wavered in his belief that Rice wants to only join Arsenal".
Edu and co firmly believe they've won the race for his signature despite serious interest from Bayern Munich, with the latter side apparently now deciding not to advance.
Who is Declan Rice?
David Moyes' star player proved yet again why he is so in demand with his performances last season.
Indeed, the "sensational" midfield enforcer finished 2022/2023 as West Ham's best-performing player by average match rating, all while making more interceptions per 90 than anyone in their side (WhoScored).
Given Arsenal's need to shore up that area of the squad, we could think of few better than Rice to upgrade Arteta's options, especially since he is both homegrown and proven in the Premier League.
It will be interesting to see what fee both sides eventually settle on for the transfer.
