Former West Ham skipper Declan Rice’s stock is soaring. The Ex Hammer, who lifted the Europa Conference League trophy as his last act in Claret and Blue, is now highly sought after in Europe as Spain’s giants Real Madrid have identified him as their prime target for midfield.
According to Spanish soccer site fichajes.net and relayed via thehardtackle.com, England’s Rice is at tej very top of Real’s Hitlist and Arsenal are preparing to do battle with a monumental asking price:
“*Declan Rice is the subject of interest from Real Madrid. The Merengues are keen on reinforcing their first-team squad by signing a holding midfielder next year. So, the 26-year-old Arsenal midfield powerhouse has emerged as a target for Los Blancos.*
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West Ham are not believed to have a sell-on clause if Rice leaves Arsenal for Madrid
However, Arsenal will demand an eye-watering sum of €150 million to part ways with the London-born midfielder next year. So, Real Madrid must pay a club-record fee to sign Rice from the North London club, and a move may not materialise.”
According to the original Fichajes report, Madrid will have to liberate funds from player sales to get close to Arsenal’s valuation and in any case may have competition from PSG for Rice’s signature next summer.
Certainly you cannot blame anyone coming knocking for Rice: His form has been exceptional and his stature just grows and grows. Compared with the £105m West Ham obtained from his sale in 2023 when he was by no means the finished article and in view of his upward trajectory since, €150 million ( about £140 million) looks cheap.