Manchester City end Rice chase after Arsenal's record bid

Declan Rice will be an Arsenal player after Manchester City pulls out of the race for the West Ham midfielder. (Photo credit: Sky Sports)

Arsenal submitted a mammoth £100m plus add-ons for England midfielder Declan Rice late on Tuesday to counter the £90m offer tabled to the West Ham captain earlier in the day, and that may just be enough to land Arsenal their man.

While multiple reports suggest the Hammers still have issues with Arsenal’s payment structure, confidence remains high on Arsenal’s part that the deal will happen and Rice will wear Arsenal colours next season.

In a swift response, Manchester City will not match Arsenal’s bid for Rice, and that means the Premier League champions will look elsewhere for a player that suits their budget, prompting many to question their decision to enter the race in the first place.

With Granit Xhaka reportedly close to a move away from the Emirates to German Bundesliga side Bayern Leverkusen, a move for Rice became highly important for the Gunners, but many would expect more additions to the team that pushed Manchester City all the way last season.