Arsenal: Declan Rice has ‘every chance’ of taking Number 41 shirt at Emirates | OneFootball

Arsenal target Declan Rice could well ask for the number 41 shirt at the Emirates Stadium, journalist Dean Jones suggested to GIVEMESPORT.

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The Gunners look set to land the England international after Manchester City pulled out of the race to sign him.

Arsenal transfer news - Declan Rice

After a dramatic transfer saga that saw the pendulum swing multiple times, it would appear Rice is now Emirates Stadium bound.

That's because, according to the Daily Mail's northern football correspondent Jack Gaughan, City are no longer in the race to sign him.

Taking to Twitter to break the news, Gaughan told his 49,000 followers: "Arsenal’s £105m bid has seen Man City pull out of the race to sign Declan Rice."

It came after the Gunners submitted what will likely be a record transfer fee for a British player, which eclipsed the £100 million barrier West Ham United were demanding.

The Athletic, Arsenal's third - and seemingly final bid - consisted of a combined £105 million package, with a guaranteed £100 million payment and a further £5 million in bonuses.

Unsurprisingly, it's a deal that will likely shatter Arsenal's own record transfer fee paid for a player, but one which the Gunners' hierarchy have been pushing for all summer.

And now, with the finish line in sight, there are suggestions Rice could make a special request upon his arrival.

What has Dean Jones said about Rice's shirt number?

When asked about how likely it was Rice stayed with the number he's been wearing at West Ham, journalist Jones indicated there was a strong possibility he stuck with the 41 shirt.

On the proposed transfer move, Jones said: "It'll be interesting to see if he does take the 41 shirt. He's always said that he quite fancies keeping it wherever he goes. So unless a more obvious one opens up, then there is every chance he would go for it.”

Why does Rice wear the number 41 shirt?

A bonafide Premier League star and the captain of West Ham, it's unusual for Rice to have stuck with the 41 shirt for so long, especially when others are available.

However, in an interview with Sky Sports' Overlap the 42-cap England international claimed he still wears the number 41 because that was what was given to him as a youngster.

"When you are in the Under-23s there are the first team squad numbers and then it gets to the higher numbers and I was given 41 when I went to Seattle on my first trip with the first-team. I was just given 41 and it has stayed with me since," Rice told The Overlap (via The Sun).