This latest Declan Rice update won’t be a surprise to anyone, but it’s a welcome one all the same.
David Ornstein reports that Arsenal have full agreement with West Ham over the fee and payment terms, and the 24 year old has been given permission to undergo his medical in order to complete the deal.
🚨 EXCLUSIVE: Arsenal have reached total agreement with West Ham to sign Declan Rice. #WHUFC have now accepted #AFC payment structure on record £100m + £5m fee. 24yo England midfielder given permission to do medical & finalise personal terms @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/WxG2JEaxrt
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) July 4, 2023
Rice is currently on holidays, but not in a particularly far-flung destination, so it won’t take long to get London. Exactly when that happens, we’ll have to wait and see.
The Gunners will reportedly pay the £100m in three installments over two years, very favourable terms from a West Ham point of view, and they have driven a hard-bargain.
Still, it’s one Arsenal were willing to meet, and Mikel Arteta will finally get his main target. Rice will join Kai Havertz who joined from Chelsea, and it is expected the deal for Jurrien Timber from Ajax will be completed in the coming days too.
What???
We’re singing Declan Rice???
OMFG!!!
Great news.
Edu, you sneaky beggar!!
Wow!!
COYG!!!!
I might have repetitive reactions to the same news, but super excited and happy – all over again!
It’s like watching the Bournemouth game again – same reaction…go nuts, even when the outcome is known.
If we get the Timber deal done, and maybe add 1 or 2 more, our squad is looking seriously amazing and deep!
I still can’t believe we have spent so much on just 3 players (assuming Timber). After over a decade of many lows, not used to all these highs! COYG!!
Arteta and Edu are spending the money Wenger left in the pot
Totally agree – not only the money left in the pot, but also the extra revenue generated from the new stadium (and most likely the increased fanbase due to his early successes).
KSE have also stepped up since they took over complete control in 2018. Never thought we’d be able to pull off a transfer the size and significance of Rice!
i mean, it’s only declan rice. he might turn out to be world class but he hasn’t proved to be yet. signing ozil or alexis sanchez was impressive, this is good but it’s what is expected. i think englishmen tend to overate their players a little bit!
I suspect that pot got blown on Pepe, Willian, Torrera, Guendouzi, LOCKDOWN etc. This is a straight up KSE loan that Edu/Arteta have to pay with success/sales.
On a broader note, I think Andrew should be given more exclusives. This site is by far the biggest Arsenal fan network and the club would be smart to keep Andrew and co close to their bosom. Why do all the exclusives fall to a small amount of journalists when there is a site like this which is tailor made to publish breaking stories for the Arenal community? Plus, I’d love to see Fabrizio and David write their *alarm siren* tweets but then have to reference Arseblog at the bottom of them all. We need a direct line from Edu’s… Read more »
Completely agree. I wonder tho if there are reasons why the club don’t want to get too involved with choosing one specific fansite over another to favour. We all know arseblog is the best and a friendly and non-horrible place but they might not feel as confident
Yeah, but David Ornstein pushes unsuspecting ducklings into ponds.
The media don’t print it because he’s become too powerful.
But it’s an open secret for everyone in the industry.
His day will come.
#ForDuckSake
Don’t ducklings like ponds? Isn’t he doing them a favour?
These were ducklings with disabilities. And I think one was trans.
You know, a lot of your jokes don’t really affect me. They go past me like–no, that’s not what I mean. I wish I could think of a comparison that explained it.
Don’t worry about it. Things used to go over my head too.
But then I bought 4 hats…
I don’t think this should happen. I like the independence that they report with. What if Arsenal said, don’t write this negative news , we’ll give you some other info in the future etc. It’s best to be a fan site rather than an ITK site. Just my 0.02 $.
Good point. I can just see the headline now:
Turns out Cedric was good value and really fucking great at football.
I 100% agree and I think arseblog already does with the women team. Tim is usually the first to break news on our signings way before the media does… hopefully the men pick up too
Hallelujah
A nice amount of time to integrate with the squad before the season starts.
Liking the early signings rather than last minute.com
It worked a treat for us the last time… I am pretty sure Arteta wants to replicate the same trick and I am all for it. Integrating Rice, Havertz, and Timber who look like they have crucial roles to play early, is going to be HUGE.
I think after we sell now, we will then pursue fringe players later in the window. This club has changed so much for the better and I am loving it!
Never saw this coming!
Love a surprise signing
Who’s Declan Rice??
Not sure but There’s a video on YouTube with highlights , seems promising
What is “YouTube”?
I don’t trust those YouTube videos.
Can he do it in the PL though? How would he cope on a cold night at Stoke… in the EFL cup?
These are the questions.
Thrice-capped Irish international, must have dropped of since, hasn’t played since a 1-1 draw against USA in 2018.
Great to see us getting shit done early! Rice is quality.
Get in!!!!
Hoping to see him in action during the US tour at the LA game
Tremendous signing. He has been exceptional on a consistent basis in a team battling relegation. He will be phenomenal for us. So so so excited for new season.
Even more impressive for me is that West Ham were fighting for European places the previous two seasons, major over-achievement in my opinion. They had some decent players beside Rice, but I don’t think there’s any doubt he was their most important player.
A grain of RICE could tip the scales !!!!
Different flavours in midfield from last season
Can’t help but think that we are “nailing the market”, as Arteta put it. Major midfield upgrade, Havertz to add variety to our forward line/midfield, and Timber to add depth and variation to our backline and also decreases our reliance on a few kingpins like Saliba (who’ve also extended) or versatile players like Tomi. Exciting times!
Really hoping we get all main targets in the door before we fly to USA. Need to have the main group travel and train together. Build that connection and bond of trust.
World most expensive Rice 🙂
Let’s go!
Some Window
Like a new signing!
Rice Rice baby!
Will that be his song or did they already do this at west ham? Anyone know?
Great to finally have this saga over with. Now just a short wait for the Timber announcement hopefully and maybe one forward signing and a backup backup midfielder (Lavia?) and we’re looking like a side that can battle on all fronts.
Not so along ago, it was impossible for us to attract this kind of highly coveted player, even if we had cash to splash. We are becoming some player’s number 1 choice of destination.
Very true. Not that we could ever afford an Mbappe level signing, nor should we, but I think money aside he’d absolutely join us. I wonder if he yearns secretly to be at a non circus club with an exciting project like we have. It must be so exhausting for every move to be dictated by how it affects your entourage, your brand, your lifetime earnings. We are a destination now, there’s a reason Ronaldo (god help us) and Mbappe have been bandied about.
He will be like a new signing.
What do you mean? He is THE new signing.
Good news. We still need another midfielder though, right? If Partey stays and Xhaka goes we still need an understudy I think?
Note to Mikel.
Rice playing box to box in a midfield 3 with Partey and Odegaard, gets the best out of him on Fifa 23
That settles it.
I’ve won the championship league with leyton orient in fifa, doesn’t mean a damn thing.
It means you’re damn good at fifa
Rice agreement in place. What of Beans? We need a top player like Beans from Besiktas who can partner with Rice but if we can also add Stew from Wolfsburg as replace Jesus it will be a perfect summer.I know my Nigerian people will understand .
Might as well bring in COOK and INGS.
Our opponents would rush to the dressing room to DRINKWATER at half time
Careful, it can get messi
I’m Salibating at that prospect.
Meeaoow!!!
At 62 years of age I have obviously seen a good few signings over the years, many of them good, some very good and others not so much but I am genuinely very excited about Declan’s arrival and, probably after the excellent season we just had, cannot wait to see this team in action.
Despite signing Rice, I think we should keep Partey to ensure that required squad depth. Only if ARAMCO offers ridiculous money should we sell him
BTW the best rice in the world is pishori from Kenyan paddies
I will try and fail to make a risotto tonight in celebration
Prime Busquets, Gerrard, and Vieira rolled into one player. And he’ll be the captain of England in a season or so.