Arsenal transfer news: What Declan Rice has said as Gunners look to hijack Chelsea deal | Football | Sport
“In the end one of their chances will lead to something, with their free-flowing football they managed to get through. Then your backs are against the wall and it’s down to us to keep going and we tried to do that but we couldn’t, we couldn’t get up the pitch, they smothered us.”
Rice’s contract at West Ham expires at the end of next season, though the club do have an option to extend it by a further year. He only turned 24 on Saturday, so would fit in with the age profile of player Arteta has targeted in recent windows.
Rice has rejected all offers of a renewal at West Ham as he considers his future. Arsenal will not overpay for him but it is clear he admires the project Arteta is building at the Emirates.
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