No deal has been agreed yet to take Declan Rice from West Ham to Arsenal as talks continue over the payment structure of the transfer.
The overall fee – worth £105m – is not an issue with one source claiming it has been agreed in principle.
While there is still a willingness from all parties to get it done, there is still work to do before the clubs find a resolution.
Rice is now free to discuss personal terms and have his medical with Arsenal.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
As Arsenal agree a £105m deal for Declan Rice, we take a look at his best Premier League moments for West Ham
The transfer breaks down as a £100m initial fee plus £5m in performance related add-ons.
Arsenal have already had two club record bids rejected by the Irons – a £90m bid comprising a £75m fee and £15m in add-ons and an opening offer thought to be worth £80m plus add-ons.
The offer smashes Arsenal’s transfer record – the £72m they paid Lille for Nicolas Pepe in 2019.
Rice has spent his entire professional career with West Ham and led the club to the Europa Conference League title as his last act.
Mikel Arteta, who has mostly relied on Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka and Martin Odegaard as his midfielders last season, has been keen to strengthen in that area of the field. He looks to have got his No 1 target.
Rice’s potential record-breaking move in numbers
Rice’s friendly Hammers departure
Hammers chairman David Sullivan said a gentleman’s agreement meant Rice could leave despite having a year remaining on his contract, with the option to extend it by a further 12 months.
Rice joined West Ham’s academy from Chelsea as a teenager and has been ever-present since his breakthrough season in 2017-18. He took over the captaincy after Mark Noble’s retirement last year.
The 24-year-old played 50 games in all competitions last season as West Ham finished 14th in the Premier League, before winning the Europa Conference League in Prague.
Rice has played more than 200 games for West Ham and earned 41 caps for England since his international debut in 2019.
Neville: I would spend £50m-£60m on Rice
speaking in March, Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville said Rice is only worth around £50m-£60m – around half of the current figure being discussed by West Ham and Arsenal.
“I love Declan Rice,” Neville said. “Obviously, Declan knows the position, but when I look at world-class holding midfielders, and players of that type, because he doesn’t score or assist enough goals, you’re putting him into that category of more of a destroyer.
“[Then]you’ve then got to be someone who I think is highly competent on the ball and linking play, and having that knowledge of the subtleties of getting on the ball from the back four.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Sky Sports News’ Mark McAdam reports that Manchester City have pulled out of the race to sign Declan Rice after Arsenal submitted a bid worth £105m
“I personally feel, at this moment in time, that Declan needs to go and work under a different set-up, he needs to drive forward in his career, he needs to go and play at a different club.
“I think there’s a lot of growth, and a lot for Declan to do to get up to the levels of Casemiro, Rodri and players at the top of the game in those positions.
“But, for me, I wouldn’t be spending £110m or £120m… I would spend £50m-£60m on Declan Rice, but I wouldn’t spend the figures being reported.”
Follow the summer transfer window with Sky Sports
Who will be on the move this summer ahead of the transfer window closing at 11pm on September 1 in England and midnight in Scotland?
Keep up to date with all the latest transfer news and rumors in our dedicated Transfer Center blog on Sky Sports’ digital platforms. You can also catch up with the ins, outs and analysis on Sky Sports News.