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Just in: Arsenal set to sign £80m Manchester United star who Saliba calls Good
The Gunners could seal a statement signing this summer
Snapped up on a club-record £105m deal from West Ham United, it’s fair to say that Declan Rice has swiftly cemented himself as a key figure at Arsenal following a stunning debut campaign in north London – did anyone really doubt it?
Fresh off the back of leading his former club to Europa Conference League glory, the England international arrived at the Emirates looking to make that next step, aiming to realise his ambition of competing for top honours and turning out in the Champions League.
While Mikel Arteta’s side were once again left empty-handed after falling agonisingly short to Manchester City – who were also in the mix for Rice last summer – in the title race, the 25-year-old certainly made his mark, having been dubbed the “stand-out signing” of the summer by pundit, Alan Shearer.
Now looking like the man whom Arteta can build the side around, the Gunners will need to add more pieces to the jigsaw to help complement the former Hammers hero this summer, with the chance to seal one deal that could represent an even greater coup than Rice.
Arsenal could seal a bigger coup than Rice
While the nature of the £105m transfer fee is certainly eye-catching, there was almost something inevitable in the Chelsea youth asset leaving the London Stadium for one of the so-called ‘Big Six’, with it having simply been a case of which club he would opt to improve.
An undoubted statement signing, yet the Gunners could go one better this time around by poaching a high-profile star directly from one of their rivals, amid reports that Arteta and co are actively pursuing a move for Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford.
The 26-year-old – who would reportedly cost in the region of £80m, according to journalist Dean Jones – has ensured a difficult last year or so after scoring just eight goals in 2023/24 and missing out on a place in Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 squad, although if Arteta could get him fit and firing again, then Arsenal could be onto a winner.