Man City withdraw from race to sign WestHam’s Rice

Manchester City has made the decision to withdraw from the pursuit of West Ham captain Declan Rice, allowing Arsenal to gain confidence in securing the English midfielder with an improved bid of up to £105 million.

After Arsenal enhanced their offer, the Hammers were awaiting Manchester City’s response, but the Etihad club’s decision to exit the race puts Arsenal in a favourable position to finalize a deal for Rice.

Throughout the summer, the 24-year-old has attracted significant interest, with Arsenal, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich all expressing their desire to acquire his services.

However, Arsenal appears to be on track to win the competition by submitting a world-record bid close to West Ham’s valuation for the talented England international.

Should the transfer be successful, Rice would surpass Jack Grealish’s £100 million fee as the most expensive English player of all time, a record set by Manchester City in 2021.

The anticipated fee for Rice’s transfer stands at approximately £105 million, structured as £100 million upfront with an additional £5 million in achievable add-ons, provided they meet realistic targets.

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