Arsenal have completed the signing of Declan Rice for a club record £105m. The transaction surpasses the £72 million Arsenal paid Lille for Nicolas Pepe in 2019 and sets a record transfer cost for two British teams. Rice’s acquisition comes barely shy of Chelsea’s £106.8 million January purchase of midfielder Enzo Fernandez from Benfica, the British record transfer cost. Rice has agreed to a five-year contract with Arsenal that runs until 2028, with an additional year’s option. He will wear the No. 41 jersey throughout this time. His ten-year tenure with West Ham, where he progressed from a member of the youth squad to club captain, ends with his move to the Emirates Stadium.
After making his first-team debut in 2017, he made 245 appearances for the Hammers, and in his final match for the side, he lifted the Europa Conference League trophy, which was West Ham’s first trophy in 43 years. Following the acquisitions of Jurrien Timber from Ajax for £38 million and Kai Havertz from Chelsea for £65 million, Arsenal’s summer expenditure has reached $208 million. The £105 million Rice contract is divided into an upfront payment of £100 million, which will be paid over 24 months, and $5 million in add-ons, which are $1 million each time Arsenal qualifies for the Champions League and Rice starts 60 percent of games.
“Amazing opportunities occur in football. Large teams have expressed interest in me, including Arsenal, and it’s difficult to say no. You only ever have one career, and I have a lot of faith in Mikel and the team he is assembling here. I’m incredibly excited about my future at Arsenal,” Declan Rice said after his move to Arsenal. “That means a lot to me considering Mikel and the way he operates, the team, how young everyone is, the atmosphere at the club, and the challenge of getting Arsenal back to where they belong. The fans definitely want that, I know. I came here as a player very eager to succeed and to spend my best years at this fantastic club. I am confident that Arteta will draw the greatest performance from me. I am aware that there are still levels for me to advance to in my game, and I believe he will be my manager when I do so. I am very forward to collaborating with him.”
“Declan joining us makes us very joyful. He is a footballer of extraordinary talent who has been representing England and the Premier League at a high level for a number of seasons. Declan is undoubtedly providing quality to the team, and as an excellent player, he has a lot of potential to succeed,” Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said. “Declan, who is only 24 years old, has extensive Premier League experience. He has led a highly talented West Ham club, and as we have all seen, he recently won a European championship. We are thrilled that he is joining us because of the tremendous responsibilities and position he has assumed.”
“Declan is a footballer with exceptional talent who has established himself at the club and international levels. Declan joining us is a result of a significant team effort and a well-defined plan during the transfer process,” Arsenal sporting director Edu said. “Declan is a fantastic young international player who will strengthen our team greatly. He fits in well with our plan to compete with young, bright players at the core of our club. It’s wonderful that Declan will reunite with Mikel, our coaches, and his new teammates well in advance of the upcoming campaign.”
West Ham announced Rice would be leaving the club earlier on Saturday morning, but they made no mention of Arsenal in their announcement. Because Rice, 24, wanted to pay his respects to just the Hammers before it was officially revealed that he was joining Arsenal, it was agreed between the two clubs and Rice that there would be no mention of Arsenal in West Ham’s statement. The England international also sent an open letter to West Ham supporters in which he acknowledged his desire to compete “at the very highest level” as the driving force for his “tough” choice to depart.
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