Declan Rice Next Club Odds: Club Transfer Record
England International on Way to Arsenal
Rice to Transform Arsenal Midfield
Declan Rice’s final act as a West Ham United player was captaining his side to a 2-1 victory over Fiorentina in the UEFA Europa Conference League final. Rice won the Conference League’s Player of the Season as West Ham won their first European trophy for 58 years. That kicked off a transfer frenzy between England’s top clubs. Rice, who has made 43 appearances for England at the age of 24, is set to join Arsenal and become the second-most expensive British player of all time. We’ll take a look at the final Declan Rice next club odds and what his transfer means for him and Arsenal next season.
Arsenal to Shatter Club Transfer Record
It has been no secret that Arsenal have wanted to make Declan Rice the lynchpin of their midfield for some time now. What wasn’t clear is how much Arsenal’s owners would be willing to spend to make that a reality. Rice finished first in the EPL player stats in the 2022-23 season with 63 interceptions. A stat which further convinced Mikel Arteta to bring him to the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners had two June bids rejected by West Ham before Man City swooped in to try to hijack the transfer. Pep Guardiola and the Cityzens offered West Ham £90m for the right to sign Rice but also had the bid rejected. At that time, Declan Rice’s next club odds showed Arsenal were -190 favorites to sign him. Sure enough, Arsenal came through with a bid worth £105m which West Ham simply could not refuse. Once the payment structure is agreed, Rice is set to become the second-most expensive English player of all-time.
How Declan Rice Fits In
Mikel Arteta appears to have a specific vision for Arsenal next season. He’s wasted no time bringing in players and signing other key players to contract extensions. With their first move of the Summer, Arsenal brought in versatile Chelsea midfielder/attacker Kai Havertz. Havertz could play in Granit Xhaka’s modified number eight role in midfield where he has license to roam and make runs into the box.
Arteta’s vision for Declan Rice seems to be more straightforward. Rice can be a traditional midfield destroyer who can start attacks with his composure on the ball and vision. He made over 200 Premier League appearances for West Ham and there’s no doubt about his leadership abilities.
David Moyes named Rice West Ham’s captain at the age of 23 and he helped delivered a first European trophy for nearly 60 years. Rice figures to slot directly into the Arsenal starting lineup, which may or may not spell the end of Thomas Partey’s career in North London. Regardless, Arsenal could be a force to be reckoned with for English Premier League betting in 2023-24.
What’s Next for Arsenal?
Arsenal open up their English Premier League schedule with Nottingham Forest on August 12th. There should be some new arrivals and departures before then. Technical director Edu and manager Mikel Arteta are going to do their best to avoid the disappointment of last season. They led the EPL for 248 days but couldn’t seal the deal, as Manchester City won the treble.
To contend for both the EPL and Champions League, depth is a key concern. That’s why Arsenal are linked to Ajax defender Jurrien Timber, who can play at center or right back. Arsenal’s midfield situation is also far from settled. Sure Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard should play the bulk of the minutes. However, it’s unclear what the future holds for Granit Xhaka, Thomas Partey and Jorginho.
If even one of them leaves, the Gunners will have to dip into the transfer market to find replacements. Xhaka is linked to Bayer Leverkusen, while possible destinations for Partey include Juventus and Saudi Arabia. One name that has been thrown around is Southampton teenager Romeo Lavia. Now that the Declan Rice next club odds are no longer a concern, though, Arsenal’s team looks stronger already than in 2022-23.
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