Arsenal have announced the signing of Declan Rice from West Ham for a club-record fee of £105m.
The Gunners had two bids rejected for the 24-year-old, one of £80m and another of £90m before agreeing £105million deal with the London club.
The England midfielder is now set to earn around £250,000-a-week in north London after signing a five-year deal at Arsenal which runs until 2028.
He becomes Arsenal’s third signing of the summer after the £65m arrival of German playmaker Kai Havertz from Chelsea, and £40m arrival of Ajax defender Jurrien Timber.
His move to the Emirates Stadium brings a decade-long spell at West Ham to an end, rising from a youth-team player to club captain.
He made 245 appearances for the Hammers after making his first-team debut in 2017 and his final game for the club saw him lift West Ham’s first trophy in 43 years by winning the Europa Conference League final.
The £105m Rice deal is broken down into an initial payment of £100m, which will be paid over 24 months, with £5m in add-ons, which are £1m every time Arsenal qualify for the Champions League and Rice starts 60 per cent of games.
Speaking to the Arsenal website, Rice said he was determined to take his game to another level with the Gunners and praised the club’s manager Mikel Arteta.
“In football, amazing opportunities arise. Big clubs, like Arsenal, have come for me and it’s really hard to turn down,” Rice said.
“You only ever get one career and I really believe in what Mikel is building here and the squad he’s building. I’m really looking forward to the future with Arsenal.
“With Mikel and how he works, the squad, how young everyone is, the energy around the club and also the challenge of getting Arsenal back to where they belong, that means a lot to me.
“I know the fans really want that. For me as a player, I’ve come here really hungry to have more success and to spend my best years at this great club.
“I know he [Arteta] is going to get the best out of me. I know I’ve got more levels to go up in my game, and I feel like he’s the manager to take me to those next levels. I am really excited to be working with him.”
