Sport nationArsenal seem to be closing in on their top target for the summer, with reports referencing a deal close to completion…
What’s the latest on Declan Rice to Arsenal?
That’s according to Football Insider, who claims that Edu has agreed terms with West Ham United’s captain Declan Rice.
The Gunners are set to make an initial bid of around £92m, with £8m worth of add-ons to take the deal into a nine-figure sum.
The 24-year-old has also agreed personal terms, seemingly rendering this deal all but done. Having won the Europa Conference League with the Hammers, their chairman David Sullivan admitted that his exit was an almost certainty. This latest report seeks to confirm that.
Would Declan Rice improve Gabriel Jesus?
Whilst the acquisition of someone who was originally a defensive midfielder might have little impact on a striker on the surface, what Rice has accomplished this season alongside his growth has made him much more than someone to simply protect the back four.
His 7.19 average Sofascore rating for the term, whilst largely buoyed by defensive figures, is also married to the nine goal contributions he recorded in all competitions. This was partnered with an 88% pass accuracy, one key pass, 2.1 tackles and 1.7 clearances per game, via Sofascore.
What is set to make the England international so important in bolstering Jesus’ numbers is a mix of all those statistics just mentioned, as not only will he provide the defensive foundation for the Brazilian to occupy better goalscoring areas, but this added creativity from midfield could prove crucial.
In what has been an injury-hit debut year in north London, the former Manchester City finisher still notched 11 goals with seven assists. However, his main role ended up being the spearhead of Mikel Arteta’s pressing system, rather than the goalscoring monster he likely dreams of being.
By signing Rice, who boasts incredible football intelligence as well as technical proficiency, he could perhaps occupy spaces that the ageing Granit Xhaka could not, offering further fluidity and athleticism to allow his would-be 26-year-old teammate to apply more of a focus on finding the back of the net.
After all, he was not lauded as a “world-class” asset by manager Danny Cowley for nothing. His efforts in dictating the play could see the Gunners exert even more control over games than they have done, surely resulting in more chances for the forward.
Rice has starred in a struggling Irons team, and the step-up will likely not phase someone so confident and talented.
Arteta and Edu will hope that he can be the final piece to complete their side, arguably improving everyone around him.
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Amina Umar
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