Report reveals fresh ‘twist’ with Man Utd now in ‘serious contention’ to land top Arsenal target | OneFootball

A move to Man Utd is now a possibility for Declan Rice as the Red Devils look to contend with Arsenal for the midfielder’s signature, according to reports.

The Red Devils have a good first season under Erik ten Hag with the Dutchman delivering a top-four finish and Carabao Cup silverware.

It could’ve been even better but they lost 2-1 to Man City in the FA Cup final on Sunday with Ilkay Gundogan scoring two volleys either side of a Bruno Fernandes penalty,

And Ten Hag will be hopeful that the Man Utd hierarchy allow him the funds to progress his squad towards Man City’s level with Tottenham striker Harry Kane believed to be their priority target.

As well as a striker, Ten Hag is understood to also be interested in bringing a new midfielder to the club with Man Utd getting interest in Fred and Scott McTominay.

West Ham midfielder Rice is likely to leave the London Stadium this summer with the England international making it clear that he wants to play Champions League football.

Widespread reports have previously indicated that Arsenal are leading the race to sign Rice but now Football Insider claim that Man Utd are now ’emerging as realistic contenders’ for his signature.

The report describes it as a ‘new twist’ in the transfer saga with Man Utd now ‘in serious contention’ despite Arsenal being ‘in pole position to sign him’.

Man Utd are apparently ‘waiting in the wings in case the north Londoners will not pay the West Ham asking price’ with the east Londoners looking for a fee of around £100m to buy him.

Arsenal are only willing to pay £80-85m but the Gunners have an advantage of Man Utd with Rice ‘keen to remain in London and would jump at the chance to join Arsenal.’

Man Utd are ‘willing to come closer to the West Ham valuation’ after the Red Devils made their interest known to West Ham.

There have even been links to Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich but former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan said he’d be “absolutely gobsmacked” if Rice leaves England.

“Declan Rice is not going to Bayern Munich. He’s going to go to one of the big clubs in England to try and win the Premier League with an English club,” Jordan said on talkSPORT.

“He’s got no reason to go to Bayern Munich, it’s fantastic indexing and a great bit of leverage for other football clubs in England to get their act together to pay the price that West Ham may well want, but I’ll be absolutely gobsmacked if an established England player, who is perceived to be one of the best players in his position, will be out of the Premier League playing in Germany, in a league that’s particularly dominated by one football club.”