Manchester City to bid for Declan Rice: how much is the midfielder worth?

Manchester City are reportedly preparing a bid for West Ham midfielder, Declan Rice, various media outlets have reported on Thursday. The player, who won the Europa Conference League with the London club last season, is set to be the target of various clubs in the Premier League, with the recent treble winners now high on the list of interested suitors.

FC Bayern had been thought of as the primary interested candidate for Rice but now it appears that they have moved away from the idea at the same time Pep Guardiola has aimed his telescope at the player who would certainly become one of English football’s most expensive deals ever.

The sale of Ilkay Gundogan to FC Barcelona has opened up a gap in the City midfield that Rice could plug; City are also set to land Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea to bolster their midfield.

How much would Declan Rice cost?

Declan Rice has been a part of West Ham United since the age of 14, and has grown up to become the club captain and one of the first names on the England team sheet under Gareth Southgate.

While an exact fee or price valuation is not fully known, Sky Sports reported that “West Ham will release Declan Rice this summer if they receive a £120 million offer from a Champions League club”, which sets the price of Rice at an extremely high starting point. They also said that West Ham United “would also accept 100 million pounds plus a player for the midfielder”.

Will Arsenal make another bid for Rice?

The player had also attracted attention from Mikel Arteta and Arsenal who will have to pull out all the stops if they enter a bidding war with the powerhouse that is Manchester City. The Gunners have already had two bids rejected for the player, including one that was worth over $100 million. A midfielder is Arsenal’s main target during the off-season period and the side will need to improve their already club-record bid if they are to seal the deal. Manchester United have also been reported to be interested in the player, although no official bids have been lodged by the Old Trafford side.

The 24-year-old’s contract at West Ham expires in 2024, with an option for a one-year extension.