Arsenal has officially signed English midfielder Declan Rice from West Ham for a whopping £100m, with an additional £5m in potential bonuses.
The Gunners’ announcement follows Rice’s heartfelt open letter to West Ham fans, expressing the difficulty of his decision to leave the club.
Rice has committed to a five-year contract with Arsenal, with an option for an additional year. Speaking about his move, he mentioned his admiration for Arsenal’s progress in recent seasons, particularly under the management of Mikel Arteta. Despite finishing fifth two seasons ago, Arsenal showcased an impressive style of play.
Rice also praised their outstanding performance in the previous season, where they dominated most teams except for Manchester City.
“I’ve been looking at Arsenal over the last couple of seasons and the trajectory they’ve been on,” he said.
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— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 15, 2023
“Not last season but the season before, they [only] finished fifth, but you could see the style of play Mikel was implementing.
“Last season was an outstanding season, blowing pretty much every team out of the water with the exception of Manchester City.”
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Having captained West Ham to victory in the Europa Conference League last season, Rice seeks to contribute to Arsenal’s pursuit of a higher standing in the Premier League. His arrival follows the signings of German international Kai Havertz from Chelsea in a £65m deal and Dutch defender Jurrien Timber from Ajax for a fee that could reach £38.5m.
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal’s manager, expressed his delight with the acquisition, highlighting Rice’s exceptional talent and impressive track record in the Premier League and for the England national team.
At only 24 years old, Rice brings valuable experience, having led a strong West Ham side and recently lifted a European trophy. Arteta believes Rice’s arrival will greatly benefit the team and anticipates his success at the club.
“He is a player with tremendous ability, who has been performing at a high level in the Premier League and for England for a number of seasons now,” said Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.
“Declan is bringing undoubted quality to the club and he is an exceptional talent who has the potential to be very successful here.
“Declan has great experience in the Premier League at only 24 years old. He has captained a very good West Ham team and as we all saw, he recently lifted a European trophy.
“The responsibility and role he has taken on has been very impressive and we are really excited that he is joining us.”
Arsenal’s pursuit of Rice wasn’t easy, as their initial two offers fell short of West Ham’s £100m asking price. Premier League champions Manchester City withdrew from the bidding process after their £90m offer was rejected.
The fee paid for Rice matches the record-breaking £100m that City spent on Jack Grealish from Aston Villa in 2021. The current Premier League transfer record stands at £105.6m, which Chelsea paid to Benfica for Enzo Fernandez in January 2023.
This summer has witnessed significant transfers, including Jude Bellingham’s move from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid for an initial fee of £88.5m, which could rise to £115m with additional payments.