Arsenal are reportedly confident about their chances of a summer move for West Ham United midfielder and captain Declan Rice after making the England international their primary target for the upcoming window.
Rice only has 18 months left to run on his contract at the London Stadium and has supposedly rejected as many as three offers of an extension from the Hammers.
The midfielder has remained loyal to West Ham since joining from Chelsea's academy in the summer of 2013, despite interest from the Blues, Manchester City and Manchester United among others.
West Ham boss David Moyes has publicly insisted that Rice is not for sale, but West Ham will soon have to relent on their £100m valuation due to the 24-year-old's contract situation.
According to The Athletic, Rice has now become Arsenal's top target ahead of the 2023-24 season, and the Premier League leaders are increasingly optimistic about their chances of wrapping up a deal.
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Despite his contract situation, West Ham have reportedly still slapped an £80m price tag on the head of the Englishman, but they have reluctantly accepted that they will need to sell him this summer.
West Ham can trigger a one-year option to keep Rice at the club until 2025, but the report adds that the Hammers feel this summer may be their final opportunity to sanction a sale for a high price.
However, Moyes's men will not consider a January sale under any circumstances, as West Ham attempt to escape relegation danger in the second half of the Premier League season.
Rice has once again been an ever-present in the heart of the Hammers midfield in the 2022-23 season, playing every minute of Premier League football so far and coming up with one goal and two assists.
The midfielder has totalled 11 goals and 13 assists in 220 appearances for West Ham in all tournaments since making his debut in 2017, helping the capital side qualify for the Europa League and Europa Conference League in that time.
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However, Rice has made no secret of his desire to play in the Champions League one day, telling reporters in December: "One hundred per cent, I want to play in the Champions League.
"For the last two or three years, I've been saying that. I've been playing consistently well for my club and I feel like I really want to keep pushing. I see my friends here who are playing Champions League and for big trophies."
Arsenal opted against reinforcing their midfield ranks in the most recent summer window, despite links with Leicester City's Youri Tielemans and Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz.
The Gunners had as many as three deadline-day bids for Luiz turned down before the Brazilian signed a new deal at Villa Park, but they could try again for Tielemans if the Belgian leaves Leicester at the end of his contract this summer.
Arsenal were also heavily linked with a move for Palmeiras' Danilo, but the 21-year-old is now understood to be closing in on a move to Nottingham Forest.
Ben Knapton
