Arsenal have not ‘approached’ the agent of West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice at this moment in time, journalist Fabrizio Romano has informed GiveMeSport.
The Gunners are the latest Premier League side to be heavily linked with a move for the in-demand 24-year-old who has impressed for both club and country in recent years.
Arsenal transfer news – Declan Rice
A report from The Times earlier this month revealed that Arsenal have now made Rice their top summer transfer target as manager Mikel Arteta looks to bolster his engine room options.
It’s claimed that the north London outfit are growing increasingly confident of beating rivals Chelsea to the England international’s signature.
West Ham manager David Moyes has previously stated that Rice is valued at around £150 million, but it’s believed the Hammers would actually accept an offer in the region of £80 million for their captain.
Rice’s current contract is due to expire in the summer of 2024, although West Ham have the option to extend his stay by a further 12 months.
However, the defensive-minded dynamo has rejected the offer of a new deal from the Irons and has publicly expressed his desire to compete for silverware and play in the Champions League.
What has Romano said about Rice?
The likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City have also been credited with an interest in Rice in the past, but Arsenal now appear to be at the front of the queue.
Read more: January Transfer Window 2023: When Does It Begin, Rumours and Everything You Need To Know
But Romano has told GMS that Arteta’s charges are not ‘in talks to sign’ the midfielder just yet.
He said: “At the moment, I don't want to say in that Arsenal are in talks to sign Declan Rice because his agents haven't been approached. Also, West Ham are not aware of any bid or negotiation with Arsenal.”
Would Rice be a good signing?
Rice has established himself as a key player for West Ham since rising through their academy after he was released by Chelsea as a teenager, notching 24 goal contributions in 220 appearances.
As per FBref, the 6 foot 1 ace has also ranked in the 95th percentile for pass completion and the 93rd for interceptions amongst his positional peers over the last year.
Those figures show that Rice is capable of breaking up opposition attacks before kickstarting ones of his own, attributes that Arteta may be very eager to add to his Arsenal side.