Man Utd join Rice race after paltry Arsenal bid as age-old friendship backed to tip balance

Manchester United have entered the race for Declan Rice after reports of a meagre opening bid from Arsenal, with an age-old friendship tipped to work in the Red Devils’ favour.

Rice is set to leave West Ham this summer, with reports claiming £100m would be enough to see the skipper leave the London Stadium.

Arsenal’s interest in Rice is well known, and it’s thought they have opened talks with the Hammers over a potential deal.

Indeed, Sky Germany claim they’ve made an opening offer of €80m for the England international, a bid West Ham will surely turn down.

And news of Arsenal’s opening gambit has drawn United into the race according to the Daily Mail, in a move that plays into the hands of West Ham, who want to spark a bidding war for their top asset.

United boss Erik ten Hag wants to bolster his midfield in the summer and the report claims he ‘believes Rice can add steel and energy to his team’.

Chelsea have also been heavily linked with Rice, but as the Daily Mail point out, one of the widely reported reasons for Rice wanting to join the Blues could instead join him at Old Trafford.

It proved impossible to write a bit of transfer gossip concerning Rice and Chelsea without labouring over his great friendship with Mason Mount.

And a report on Wednesday claimed the Chelsea midfielder, who has one year left on his deal at Stamford Bridge, is ‘leaning towards’ a move to United amid interest from Arsenal and Liveprool.

Ten Hag is said to be a big admirer of Mount and has convinced United to make a £55m bid for him.

That falls well short of Chelsea’s £85m valuation which, as Darren Bent says, is an awful lot for a player with just one year left on his current contract.

Bent said: “He’s young, he’s English, so he’s going to be £70m-£80m easily. But not £80m for one year left on his contract.”

“I think he gets into any top team’s squad. I’m not saying he starts for every team because I don’t think he does, but I think at a better price.