West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice is favouring a move to Arsenal ahead of Chelsea, according to reports.
Chelsea have been long-time admirers of the West Ham star and are expected to revamp Graham Potter’s team even further at the end of the campaign.
But, the Blues now face competition from Arsenal after it emerged this week that the Gunners have made the England midfielder one of their main targets for the summer.
West Ham are now expected to sell Rice at the end of the season as the 24-year-old wants to play for a club in the UEFA Champions League.
Chelsea have been favourites to sign Rice but according to The Guardian, the West Ham player is ‘learning’ more towards joining Arsenal due to the prospect of playing under Mikel Arteta.
The report claims that Arteta is a ‘huge fan’ of Rice and has made plans regarding where he would fit in his system at the Emirates.
It is also believed that Rice believes Arteta can help improve his game and the transfer move to Arsenal ‘appeals’ to the midfielder.
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West Ham will be looking to secure over £100m for Rice as his current deal expires next year but the London side have the option to extend to 2025.
Speaking during England’s World Cup campaign, Rice made it clear he wants to test himself at the highest level for his club.
‘For the last two or three years I have been saying that,’ Rice said. ‘I have been playing consistently well for [my] club and I feel like I really want to keep pushing.
‘I see my friends here who are playing in the Champions League and for big trophies… you only get one career and at the end of your career you want to look back at what you have won and the biggest games you have played in. I am really ambitious.’
