Declan Rice: Fabrizio Romano rates Arsenal swap deal chances as West Ham star names club who are his ‘number one’
Arsenal have held what has been described as ‘positive talks’ for Declan Rice and amid recent reports West Ham are open to the idea of signing a struggling Gunners star in part exchange.
The England midfielder is still on a high after helping the Hammers claim UEFA Conference League glory five days ago. While the competition has been scoffed at by some, their 2-1 win over Fiorentina in Prague means the Hammers have ended a long 43-year wait to win a major trophy.
However, the final is widely expected to be Rice’s final outing in a Hammers shirt. The 24-year-old has made it clear his ambitions to play at a higher level and compete for some of the game’s elite trophies.
As a result, talk of a move to Arsenal has rapidly gathered pace. Mikel Arteta is desperate to strengthen his midfield to try and ensure their second-place finish this season can be bettered in the future.
And the chance to both play in the Champions League and not uproot his family from their London home, means a move to Arsenal carries serious appeal.
However, there remains some serious work to do before a transfer to the Gunners can be signed and sealed. And West Ham will understandably demand a lofty fee for a player now rated one of the best in the world.
To that end, the Hammers’ bottom line is reportedly around the £90m mark. And West Ham boss David Moyes has recently pointed to the £105.6m that Chelsea paid for Enzo Fernandez as a benchmark.
In order to bring down their outlay, The Sun claims Arsenal could offer West Ham the chance to sign Emile Smith Rowe in return.
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Rice to Arsenal: Romano discusses Smith Rowe swap with West Ham
The 22-year-old was one of Arsenal’s most important players in 2021/22. However, he fell dramatically out of favour in 2022/23, featuring just 14 times in all competitions.
As a result, speculation has suggested he could be sacrificed this summer with Aston Villa among those keen.
However, he could be used as a pawn to help Arsenal land Rice, with an insider suggesting to The Sun a swap was possible.
“West Ham know they are in a strong position with this deal which is why targeting a talent like Emile Smith Rowe has become part of the conversation at the club,” the insider stated.
“Nobody can replace Declan Rice, but David Moyes is a big fan of Smith Rowe and thinks he could really help the team as they rebuild and plan for life after Declan Rice.
“For a long period Smith Rowe was one of Arsenal’s best players, but has fallen down the pecking order a little bit. He won’t be a starter next season, but Arsenal aren’t keen to lose the player.
“However, if it means getting Rice and keeping him away from Bayern Munich and Manchester United, it could ultimately end up being a road they are forced to go down. Rice is their main summer target.”
Romano, though, speaking to Caught Offside, claims talk of a swap deal are wide of the mark.
Rice names his ‘number one’ club
And he is adamant that the Gunners want to keep Smith Rowe and are seeking a cash only deal for Rice.
“One big story to look out for soon will be Declan Rice. Arsenal will enter into crucial stages of the deal next week. Positive initial talks have taken place in recent days, and Arsenal want to submit a proposal,” Romano said.
“However, I can’t at this stage confirm precisely when this bid will be made, or how much the opening offer will be. It depends on Arsenal.
“I’m aware of some reports of a swap deal…Emile Smith Rowe, however, is part of Arsenal’s plans for the future. They don’t want to let him go. Mikel Arteta is a big fan of the player, despite his fitness issues and lack of game time in the season just gone.”
With rumours gathering pace of a move to Arsenal, Rice will do well to avoid questions over his future when he turns up for England duty this week.
England play two Euro qualifiers before drawing the curtain on the 2022/23 season. First up, Gareth Southgate’s side face minnows Malta in Ta’ Qali on Friday night before tackling North Macedonia at Old Trafford on Monday.
However, he may face a slightly awkward moment if and when a potential deal does go through.
Filmed by a fan, a video of Rice appeared on social media on Sunday of Rice declaring West Ham as his ‘number one’.
When asked which club, he would like to sign for this summer, Rice responded: “Nowhere, I’m West Ham!”
When asked if he had to pick a side to move to, Rice added: “Nah, I don’t. West Ham’s my one.”
READ MORE: Arsenal ‘open talks’ over signing relegated player after deal for key Arteta target falls through
