Manchester City have made an official offer for West Ham United captain Declan Rice.
The Athletic reported last week that City were ready to compete with Arsenal and make an opening bid for Rice.
And the Premier League champions have now made a formal offer of an initial £80m with an additional £10m in surcharges in hopes of beating Arsenal in their signing this summer.
Arsenal continue their hunt for the West Ham midfielder.
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Arsenal’s Premier League rivals had turned down a record-breaking club offer worth up to £90m (consisting of a £75m transfer fee and £15m in surcharges) earlier this month, which has opened the door for City to move.
Rice’s contract at West Ham expires in 2024 with an option for a one-year extension.
But West Ham chairman David Sullivan said after the club’s Europa Conference League triumph he expected the England international to have played his last game for the club, adding that he “wanted to leave”.
Rice has made 245 appearances for West Ham since his debut in 2017.
City are already close to signing Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic and Ilkay Gundogan secures a free transfer to Barcelona.
Analysis by JJ Bull
Rice is one of the best players in Europe when it comes to repelling enemy attacks. He can win the ball back, but then he carries it across the field, turning defensive play into attacking play.
His interpretation of the game is at the highest level – it seems innate – that’s what he’s really good at: anticipation, timing, decision making.
West Ham often play a 4-2-3-1 and Rice is one of their two midfielders, often alongside Tomas Soucek. He’s the one who forms a defensive triangle set up from behind and who’s always available to take the pass.
His real strength lies in disrupting play by patrolling midfield to prevent counterattacks from breaking through.
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