Declan Rice's transfer preference revealed amid Arsenal, Chelsea, Man Utd links

Declan Rice favours a move to Arsenal over Chelsea, Manchester United or Manchester City this summer – but the Gunners will have to increase their bid after having an opening offer rejected by West Ham.

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Rice has emerged as a target for most of the top clubs in England after another impressive season in which he helped West Ham avoid relegation and win the Europa Conference League.

For several months Arsenal have been optimistic of winning the race to sign Rice, with Mikel Arteta keen to bolster his midfield options after the Gunners’ challenged for the title last season and secured a return to the Champions League.

But Chelsea and Manchester United have been repeatedly linked with the England star too, while recent reports suggest Manchester City are hoping to hijack Arsenal’s deal and bring Rice to the Etihad Stadium.

Arsenal submitted the first bid for Rice earlier this week but West Ham quickly rejected the ‘unimpressive’ offer, which was reportedly worth around £80m and included a number of clauses.

West Ham expect the Gunners to return with an improved bid and The Times say Rice still favours a move to the Emirates Stadium despite the interest from his boyhood club Chelsea and the two Manchester giants.

Rice has played 245 games for West Ham since breaking into the first-team during the 2016-17 season and been capped 41 times by England.

Last week, West Ham chairman David Sullivan said he was ’99 per cent’ sure that Rice would leave during the summer transfer window.

Arsenal season-ticket holder Sir Keir Starmer certainly hopes Rice ends up in north London, naming the Hammers captain as his dream summer signing.

‘Declan Rice is the one I would really like to see come in,’ the Labour leader told Football London. ‘I think he’s a fantastic player, I think he’d fit into Arsenal a treat.

‘There’s [Moises] Caicedo as well from Brighton who I know we’re after. But Declan Rice is the one I’d like to see completed as soon as possible if that’s going to happen.’

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