Man City out of Declan Rice transfer race as Arsenal negotiate with ...

Manchester City have pulled out of the race to sign West Ham captain Declan Rice following Arsenal’s improved bid worth up to £105million.

City had matched Arsenal’s £90million proposal, offering an increased sum up front, only for both bids to be rejected.

But Arsenal returned on Tuesday evening with an initial fee of £100m and an extra £5m in add-ons.

Arsenal and West Ham are now negotiating over payment structure but the north London side’s move has prompted City to step aside from a potential deal.

Arsenal upped their bid to try and secure manager Mikel Arteta’s top summer target.

It will be a Premier League record fee for a British player if the move materialises.

GO DEEPER

Declan Rice transfer: Is a £105m deal good business for Arsenal?

Rice’s contract at West Ham expires in 2024, with an option for a one-year extension.

But West Ham chairman David Sullivan said after the club’s Europa Conference League triumph that he expected the England international to have played his last game for the club, adding that he “wanted to go”.

Rice has made 245 appearances for West Ham since making his debut in 2017.

Follow the summer transfer window with The Athletic…

Analysis by Mark Carey

Rice does not leap into challenges at the first sign of danger. Instead, he patrols the midfield, maintains good positional discipline, then engages in his defensive actions at the opportune moments.

This is reflected in the numbers, where Rice’s figure of 4.2 “true” tackles — denoting tackles plus challenges lost plus fouls committed — per 1,000 opponent touches places him just 62nd among a 69-strong group of defensive and central midfielders with 900-plus Premier League minutes played last season.

Crucially, on the occasions Rice does put a foot in, his technique ensures he will often be the one to come out on top.

Nobody in that same pool of 69 players has a better “true” tackle win rate than his 70 per cent.

(Photo: Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

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