West Ham reject Arsenal’s £80m-plus bid for Declan Rice

West Ham have rejected Arsenal’s opening bid for Declan Rice, thought to be worth £80 million plus add-ons.

The Gunners’ opening offer would have been paid in slow instalments with a lot of tough contingencies attached to it. West Ham’s valuation of Rice remains £120 million but it is understood the club would accept £100 million plus a player.

Arsenal are expected to return with a new offer in the coming days, but they will have to improve the value and structure of their bid significantly if they want to sign the player. Manchester City are also keeping an eye on Rice’s situation.

West Ham’s chairman, David Sullivan, revealed in the wake of the club’s Europa Conference League victory earlier this month that the 24-year-old will be allowed to leave this summer.

Manchester United and Bayern Munich have also held an interest in the England international, who became only the third West Ham captain to lift a major trophy when they beat Fiorentina in Prague.

Rice has two years remaining on his contract but asked whether the Europa Conference League win would be his final act for the club, Sullivan said: “I think it has to be. We promised him he could go.

“He set his heart on going and in due course he has to get on and we have to get a replacement.

“It is not something we wanted to happen. We offered him £200,000 a week 18 months ago and he turned it down. You can’t keep a player who doesn’t want to be there.

“I think the offers will start to come. Three or four clubs have shown interest but out of respect to West Ham, while we’re still playing, you don’t make offers for players.”

The Star