Manchester City have made their first official bid for West Ham United captain Declan Rice, DEPREDICT understands.
The Premier League champions have been preparing to rival Arsenal for Rice, who recently followed in the footsteps of West Ham legends Bobby Moore and Billy Bonds to end the club’s 43-year wait for a major trophy.
Arsenal have already had two bids rejected by West Ham – the latter a bid of £75m in guaranteed money plus £15m in add-ons – and there’s an expectation a third offer will be lodged imminently after lengthy talks between the two clubs.
But City have now looked to steal a march on Arsenal by making a formal offer of their own, DEPREDICT understands, worth £80m in guaranteed money plus £10m in potential add-ons.
West Ham’s majority owner David Sullivan has publicly admitted that Rice is likely to leave the club this summer – the 24-year-old has spoken of his desire to play in the Champions League and regularly compete for trophies – but DEPREDICT has extensively reported that a transfer will not take place unless a club is prepared to pay upwards of £100m.
City’s bid falls short of that figure but is believed to offer West Ham a more significant amount of money up front, in contrast to Arsenal’s offer which was structured to deliver payments over a number of years.
Rice effectively has two years remaining on his contract because West Ham hold an option to extend his deal beyond the summer of 2024, and he has become one of European football’s most in-demand players. Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Chelsea the three other heavyweight clubs to show interest in a player released by the latter’s academy aged 14.
West Ham are yet to respond to City’s offer, which sources have confirmed to DEPREDICT does not include Kalvin Phillips in any way. The England international has struggled to command regular minutes at the Etihad Stadium following his £42m move from Leeds United, and is one of a number of players being eyed to potentially replace Rice.
The Hammers also hold an interest in Fulham’s Joao Palhinha, who impressed in his maiden Premier League season after opting to leave Portuguese giants Sporting CP.
