With the futures of Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, and Kalvin Phillips all in doubt, the wealthy Abu Dhabi-owned club may look for a replacement this summer.
According to a new report, Arsenal may miss out on signing West Ham captain Declan Rice after Manchester City rekindled their interest in the England midfielder.
Manchester City are reportedly reviving their pursuit of Declan Rice, dealing a significant blow to Arsenal’s summer transfer plans.
The 24-year-old West Ham captain is widely expected to leave the club in the summer to pursue his dream of winning trophies and competing in the Champions League.
Arsenal have been named as the frontrunners to sign the England international at the end of the season in recent weeks.
According to reports, Mikel Arteta has made Rice, who has two years remaining on his contract, his top summer target while “growing confident” that a deal will be reached.
However, according to 90 minutes, Arsenal’s pursuit is about to be hijacked by none other than title rivals City. Rice, who previously named club legend Yaya Toure as an idol, has long been linked with a move to City.
Despite trailing Arsenal in the league, the reigning English champions have significant clout in the transfer market.
With the futures of Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, and Kalvin Phillips all in doubt, the wealthy Abu Dhabi-owned club may look to splash out on Rice as a replacement this summer.
Chelsea, Rice’s former club, has also been mentioned as a possible destination, with the midfielder’s best friend Mason Mount currently playing for the Blues.
However, Chelsea’s poor league performance suggests that they may miss out on Champions League qualification, which could be a major deciding factor in Rice’s next move.
That would make City one of the favourites to sign him. However, the deal could be jeopardised if City is unable to avoid punishment from the Premier League for alleged financial regulations violations.