Mail Sport revealed on Tuesday that the Gunners’ third offer would arrive within 48 hours and Arsenal’s improved bid for the Hammers captain comprises £100m guaranteed cash plus a further £5m in add-ons.
The offer exceeds West Ham’s £100m valuation for the England star and, if successful, would make Rice the biggest transfer between two British clubs, eclipsing Manchester City’s £100m capture of Jack Grealish from Aston Villa in the summer of 2021.
News of Arsenal’s mega bid comes after Manchester City’s first offer for the Hammers captain, which comprised £80m in guaranteed cash and a further £10m in add-ons, was formally turned down by the Hammers on Tuesday.
With West Ham’s valuation now met by Arsenal, the structure of the deal will become the key factor with regards to whether the offer is accepted. West Ham prefer the guaranteed part of the fee to be paid by the start of 2025. Arsenal have been keen to pay the fee over the course of five years.
Having seen two bids rejected, Arsenal’s previous offer was of a certain £75m plus a further £15m in bonuses, the Gunners are understood to have informed the Hammers hierarchy they would be returning with an improved formal bid – in what is effectively viewed as a verbal offer.
Since making his debut at the age of 18 in 2017, 24-year-old Rice has developed into a homegrown hero for the east London club.
In total, he has racked up 245 appearances, scoring 15 goals.
During that time, Rice – who played three times for Republic of Ireland in 2018 before switching allegiance to England – has established himself as a key man for Gareth Southgate’s men, winning 43 caps.
The Hammers’ triumph in the Europa Conference League last season capped off what had been a difficult season for the club as they flirted with relegation and Moyes came under significant pressure.
