Arsenal are now firmly in the driving seat to sign Declan Rice this summer!
Chelsea are thought to be a possible late bidder for their former youngster who was allowed to leave the club for West Ham at the age of 14.
But sources close to the Blues have told Claret and Hugh that whilst new manager Mauricio Pochetteno rates the West Ham prize asset he is unlikely to move in or make him a priority target.
Meanwhile we have has had it confirmed that Bayern Munich are indeed keen on the 24 year old and that manager Thomas Tuchel has had conversations with he and/or his representatives as reported by Sky.
Rice, however, doesn’t see the Bundesliga as a league in which his game will develop and is keen to remain in the Premier League.
And it seems that the only way the move to north London could be halted would be late moves by Manchester United, Manchester City or both.
United are reported to be keeping an eye on developments whilst C and H’s northern correspondent Terry Robbins has claimed that Pep Guardiola could be set for a move once the window opens.
But we understand that Rice’s agent/father Sean has been in extensive talks with Arsenal who are now very strong favourites to sign the Hammers skipper whose preference is to remain in the capital.
I really hope Rice goes to either Arsenal or Bayern Munich preferably in a straight cash deal.l see reports linking us with players like McTominay and Maguire possibly in a swap deal for Rice. I dont believe they have the personality or ability to bring us to the next level. I also see rumours of a swap deal involving Scamacca and Abraham with Roma. For heavens sake if anyone in our club thinks that’s a good deal they are in the wrong job. No player swaps let us do the business we want to do instead of signing players past their best and costing a fortune.
He’s missing a trick if he dismisses Bayern Munich – OK, yes they have won the title every year for a decade, and yes, some years they do so at a canter. But not every year (as this one just gone proves), so there is clearly decent competition in the Bundesliga. But, it would also be a case of going there to learn new things, how other countries play, which can then also be translated into passing that on at international level. While going to play for a top club in the Premier League is obviously tempting, I’ve always been of the view that top young English players should give themselves a couple of years to spend at a club in Europe, because they’ll be all the better for it.