Declan Rice's West Ham summer exit has become the major Premier League transfer story ahead of the 2023/24 season.
The England international is a priority target for Arsenal, who finished second in the Premier League last season, with champions Manchester City also registering an interest.
On the back of a superb 12 months for the Hammers, Rice's transfer value has continued to increase, with David Moyes admitting the club will not to be able to retain the 24-year-old this summer.
Arsenal are leading the race for Rice, as part of a club-record deal, and they are expected to sign the West Ham captain this week.
MORE:Arsenal Premier League fixtures for the 2023/24 season
How much is Declan Rice transfer fee?
Arsenal have made three bids for Rice in this window thus far, with the most recent one — and the largest — made on June 27 and meeting West Ham's valuation for the player:
After several days of back and forth, the two London clubs finally agreed on the fee, and importantly, the payment structure for the deal, in a vital breakthrough.
🚨 EXCLUSIVE: Arsenal have reached total agreement with West Ham to sign Declan Rice. #WHUFC have now accepted #AFC payment structure on record £100m + £5m fee. 24yo England midfielder given permission to do medical & finalise personal terms @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/WxG2JEaxrt
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) July 4, 2023
Initially, according to The Athletic's West Ham reporter Jacob Steinberg, West Ham were not happy with the payment structure on the third offer.
If the current numbers hold, Rice will become the most expensive Premier League player of all-time ahead of England teammate Jack Grealish (£100m) but just behind Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez (£106.5m) as the most expensive acquisition by a club in England's top flight.
What is Declan Rice worth?
Moyes stated in May that he expected Rice to break the British transfer record if he left the Hammers. It was said the club would let him go for £120m/$152m if they received an offer from a Champions League team.
It doesn't seem they'll get there based on where the deal.
West Ham will allow Declan Rice to leave this summer if they receive an offer worth £120m from a Champions League club.
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) May 9, 2023
According to CIES Football Observatory, who analyse the football market, Rice is valued at £70m/$87m.
However, it seems West Ham are set to earn as much as £105m/$134m for the player.
Transfer cost of central midfielders
Alongside Arsenal's interest in Rice, teams across Europe are either targeting or signing new central midfielders ahead of the 2023/24 season.
Rice's England midfield partner Jude Bellingham has already completed a £88.5m/$112m move from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madridas the third most expensive central midfield transfer deal in history.
Paul Pogba's £89.1m/$114m move from Juventus to United in 2016 held the record for seven years before Chelsea set a new bar by paying Benfica £106.5m/$135m for Enzo Fernandez at the start of 2023.
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According to CIES' latest data, Rice is the joint third most valuable Premier League player in his position, level with Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard.
Fernandez and Manchester City's Rodri are tied as the top-valued Premier League central midfielders at £85.5m/$109m.
However, Rice is the most expensive midfielder likely to be transferred this summer in the Premier League, ahead of Brighton & Hove Albion dynamo Moises Caicedo, who is valued by CIES at £51m/$65m.
Premier League 2023/24 TV channels, live streams
| Region | TV | Streaming |
| Australia | — | Optus Sport |
| Canada | — | |
| Hong Kong | — | Now TV |
| India | Star Sports | Disney+, Hotstar, JioTV |
| Malaysia | Astro SuperSport | Astro Go |
| New Zealand | Sky Sport | Sky Sport Now, Sky Go |
| Singapore | StarHub | StarHub TV+ |
| UK | Sky Sports, TNT Sports | NOW TV, Sky Go, Amazon Prime |
| USA | USA Network, Telemundo, Universo | Fubo, Peaco*ck |
UK: Matches are carried across Sky Sports and TNT Sports streaming and TV platforms, with select matches on Amazon Prime.
USA: Select matches are televised on USA Network (English) and Telemundo or Universo (Spanish), and all three channels can be streamedon Fubo. The rest of the matches are streamed on NBC platform Peaco*ck for subscribers.
Canada: Every Premier League game this season is live streamed exclusively via Fubo in Canada.
Australia: Fans in Australia can stream every match live and on demand on Optus Sport.
India:Star Sports network has the rights to show Premier League matches in India. As well as an English broadcast on Star Sports Select, select matches will be available via regional feeds on Star Sports 3 (in Bengali, English, Kannada, Malayalam), Star Sports 1 (Bangla) and Star Sports 1 (Tamil).
