Declan Rice was sold by West Ham to Arsenal for £105 million on Friday. A Hammers insider told Sky Sports News, “I’ve never known anything like this saga.” The Gunners are set to announce the deal before leaving for a US tour on Sunday.
West Ham have confirmed that they have reached an agreement for Declan Rice to leave the club.
Arsenal, who aren’t mentioned in West Ham’s statement, still haven’t said that Rice will join them for £105 million, which is the most ever paid by two British clubs.
Rice written a goodbye message on Instagram: “I can’t believe 10 years have gone by so quickly.” West Ham has been a massive part of my life on and off the pitch. Saying goodbye is never easy.
“Ive had some unbelievable highs, none higher than that night in Prague. Ive also grown a lot as a person, a player and as a captain.
“I have felt nothing but pride ever since I took over as captain of the team under the direction of Nobes [Mark Noble].” As a captain, delivering that European trophy was the icing on the cake.
“My connection with the fans means everything to me and my family. You have treated us like one of your own since the day I arrived. Thank you.
“Every manager, coach, member of the back room staff, and of course my teammates know what a great club West Ham is.”
Rice also said goodbye to West Ham fans in an open letter posted on the club’s website. He said he had been “an absolute whirlwind of emotion” over the last few weeks.
Declan Rice has become one of the brightest young talents in English football during his time at West Ham United. The dynamic midfielder joined West Ham’s youth system at age 14 and has risen up through the ranks to become a key player for club and country. However with Rice’s star continuing to rise speculation is rife over whether he will remain a Hammer or move on to a bigger club.
Rice’s Background and Rise at West Ham
Born in London, Rice came up through West Ham’s famed Academy of Football. He made his senior debut as a teenager in 2017 and soon established himself as a regular starter. Comfortable playing as a defensive midfielder or center back, Rice impressed with his composure, positional awareness and anticipation.
In 2018, at age 19, Rice won West Ham’s Young Player of the Year award. The following season he was named Player of the Year and also made his England debut. His importance to West Ham continued to grow as he took over the captain’s armband in 2022 after Mark Noble’s retirement.
The 2022/23 season proved the pinnacle of Rice’s West Ham career, as he led the club to their first major trophy in over 40 years. Rice lifted the UEFA Europa Conference League trophy as captain, cementing his legacy In total, he made 245 appearances for West Ham, developing into one of their most beloved players of the modern era.
Transfer Speculation Mounts
As Rice’s profile has risen in recent years, so too has interest from bigger Premier League clubs. His contract situation at West Ham has only intensified the speculation.
Rice’s current deal expires in 2024, meaning he could leave next summer for free if no extension is agreed. Understandably, this has set alarm bells ringing among the West Ham hierarchy. Losing their prized asset for nothing would be a nightmare scenario.
Rice has so far resisted signing a new long-term contract, suggesting he could be open to a new challenge elsewhere. The likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City have all been linked with blockbuster bids.
According to reports, West Ham value Rice at around £100 million. But interested clubs will likely need to pay a British record fee for an English player to have any hope of luring Rice away from the London Stadium.
Rice’s Exceptional 2022/23 Form
While the transfer rumors continue to swirl, Rice has remained focused on his football. The 2022/23 season saw him take his game to new heights as West Ham’s standout performer.
Rice earned plenty of new admirers with a string of dominant midfield displays in West Ham’s European run. His defensive qualities and leadership were key in guiding the Hammers to Europa Conference League glory.
Domestically, Rice has continued to excel. His technical ability, passing range and box-to-box running make him a complete modern day midfielder. Some critics have even earmarked Rice as a future Ballon d’Or contender.
For England, Rice has also become undroppable. He is now a guaranteed starter under Gareth Southgate when fit. At just 23, Rice has already amassed 43 international caps and appears certain to be a mainstay in England’s engine room for years to come.
Emotional Rice Says Goodbye
The summer of 2023 finally brought the news West Ham fans had long dreaded – Rice would be leaving the club. Arsenal secured Rice’s signature for a British record fee of £105 million.
Rice penned an emotional farewell letter to West Ham’s fans explaining it was simply time for a new challenge. He spoke of the difficulty of the decision and his eternal love and respect for West Ham for helping mold him into the player and person he is today.
It was abundantly clear Rice’s affinity for West Ham remains strong. But at this stage of his rapidly blossoming career, Rice felt moving to a ‘Big Six’ club would help take his game to the next level.
At Arsenal, Rice appears an ideal fit in Mikel Arteta’s system. His presence could be the final piece of the puzzle as the Gunners seek to maintain their Premier League title push.
The Final Word
Declan Rice’s West Ham departure seemed inevitable once the big clubs came calling. His world-class talent outgrew the London Stadium. For the player himself, leaving his boyhood club was hardly an easy call.
Nevertheless, Rice remains deeply intertwined in West Ham folklore for his trophy-winning exploits. No Hammers fan will ever forget his inspirational performances in the famous claret and blue.
Wherever Rice’s career leads next, he will forever be cherished as one of the modern West Ham greats.
West Ham received Arsenal paperwork on Friday
After finally getting the paperwork from Arsenal on Friday, West Ham signed the deal to sell Rice to Arsenal.
The deal to transfer was agreed upon eight days ago, and the Hammers were getting more and more angry that the deal hadn’t been completed yet.
One insider told Sky Sports News: “Ive never known anything like this saga”.
But West Ham has now agreed to sell Rice to Arsenal. On Sunday, Arsenal will announce their club-record signing before leaving for a pre-season tour of the US.
The hold-up was being caused by delays with the paperwork being drawn up by Arsenals lawyers.
West Ham knew that Rice had passed his medical with Arsenal and had been training regularly while on vacation in Portugal.
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The deal has a £100 million down payment that will be paid over 24 months. There are also £5 million in add-ons, which are £1 million every time Arsenal makes it to the Champions League and Rice starts 60% of the games.
Arsenal’s previous record purchase was Nicolas Pepe from Lille for £72 million in 2019. The £105 million deal will beat that.
Chelsea set the British transfer record when they paid £106 million to sign Benfica, which is what Rice will just miss. 8m for Enzo Fernandez in January.
Arsenal did conclude the £38m signing of Jurrien Timber, who has signed a five-year contract, on Friday.
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The Gunners paid Ajax £34 million up front for Timber. The rest of the fee will be paid for by performance-based add-ons.
Ben White mostly played right back last season, but Timber has been signed as a replacement. He can also play center back, and Manchester United were interested in him before.
Arsenal didn’t need any more proof that they should sign Declan Rice because they got it just after halftime of their April 2-2 draw with West Ham at the London Stadium.
With two goals already scored, Mikel Arteta’s team looked like they were on their way to a win that would have put them six points ahead of Manchester City. But a player who they now hope to make their record signing changed everything with a quick thought.
When Rice saw Kieran Tierney about to pass the ball to Thomas Partey deep in the Arsenal half, he ran as fast as he could to get to the Ghanaian. He caught him just in time to steal the ball, carry it into the box, and find Lucas Paqueta, who was already there.
The next penalty, which was won by Paqueta and scored by Said Benrahma, changed the direction of the game away from Arsenal. Perhaps even that of the title race too. And it started with Rice.
That play showed a lot of the things that make Rice so appealing to Arsenal: the foresight to see the chance, the speed and strength to get there and get the ball, and the calmness to set up his teammate and force the penalty.
This month, Jude Bellingham moved from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid for £115 million, making him the most expensive English player of all time.
Rice is now the second most expensive player ever. He cost £5 million more than the £100 million Manchester City paid for Jack Grealish in August 2021.
It would also be only the third time an English club has paid over £100m for a player.
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire says Arsenals seemingly enhanced willingness to spend is a “reward” for Mikel Arteta.
“Arsenal are actually in a very strong position when it comes to spending,” he told Sky Sports News.
“The reason for that is they have managed to get their wages under control.
“Arsenals wages are lower than they were in 2018. They are £150m to £170m less than Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City. That lets them buy new players without having to worry too much about what the market will do.
“On top of that, they get extra benefits from Champions League games, like higher prices and at least £50 million in prize money from being in the competition.”
“When you add all of that up, they probably still have some room to spend during this window.” “.
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When asked if theres been a strategy change at Arsenal, he added: “Yes. They had a retrenchment. They went through some fallow years when they werent qualifying for the Champions League.
They were able to get high-paid players like Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang off their payroll. This has allowed them to be very competitive in the market and try to match other clubs’ offers.
“Arsenal used to be known as the Bank of England club. They’ve always been good with money, and I think this change in spending is just a reward for Mikel Arteta for getting them back into the Champions League, which will bring in a lot more money. “.
Sullivan: We didn’t want to sell Rice
Rice’s last game for West Ham was last month when he lifted the Europa Conference League trophy. It was the club’s first trophy since the 1980 FA Cup and its first European trophy since 1965.
David Sullivan, joint-chair of West Ham United, said on the club’s website, “I’m sorry to see Declan leave us, but I think everyone at West Ham United should be very proud of the part we played in his journey from the Academy of Football at Chadwell Heath to becoming the most valuable young player in English football.”
“I would like to make it clear to our supporters that we did not want to sell Declan. We wanted to build our team around him, so we made him several better, longer-term job offers to protect his future.
However, once Declan made it clear that he wanted to move on and try something new, the club thought it would be unfair to stop him. They did what was best for West Ham United. “.
There were 245 games for the club by the England international, and manager David Moyes was sad to see him go.
The manager said, “I’d like to thank Declan for everything he has done at West Ham United.”
“It’s sad to say goodbye to someone who has been a part of our lives for a long time, but we need to move on.”
“As history shows, no player is ever bigger than the club. Now, our only goal is to build on the success we had last season by adding to our talented Europa Conference League title-winning team as we start our third straight season in Europe and keeping the best young players coming up through our successful academy. “.
Declan Rice fights back tears as he reflects on West Ham’s European success after his final game
FAQ
Who is West Ham’s new captain?
How long is Declan Rice contract at West Ham?
Is Declan Rice out of contract?
How much did Arsenal buy Rice?
Who is Declan Rice?
Arsenal today confirmed Declan Rice has joined the team from West Ham. The midfielder previously said his ambition was to play “at the very highest level” was behind his “tough” decision to leave West Ham.
Will Declan Rice leave West Ham this summer?
‘I’ll give everything’ until I leave West Ham – Declan Rice West Ham chairman David Sullivan says he is “99%” sure captain Declan Rice will leave the club this summer. The 24-year-old England midfielder has been heavily linked with a move away from London Stadium.
What did Declan Rice say to West Ham United fans after transfer?
Declan Rice has released a message to West Ham United fans after his transfer to Arsenal was confirmed on Saturday. “Hello everyone. I wanted to speak to you personally and directly, from the heart, to share my thoughts now that my departure from West Ham United has been confirmed.
Will West Ham sell Declan Rice if he doesn’t sign a new contract?
West Ham United will not sell Declan Rice this summer even if he does not sign a new contract. Rice has turned down several new deal offers and he is reported to be open to leaving this summer. West Ham will not allow that to happen and they are in a strong position because Rice is effectively contracted to the club until the summer of 2025.