It has been revealed that Manchester United saw a massive bid, worth more than £100 million, turned down for Declan Rice last summer.
Radio show TalkSport today shared the news that United tried to lure Rice to Old Trafford last July, only to see their attempt denied by the England midfielder's club. The 24 year old has been one of the best players in the Premier League over the past three seasons, with his tactical intelligence, marauding runs and physicality dominating midfields, and Manchester United wanted to add him to their squad ahead of the current season.
After failing to capture Rice, United manager Erik ten Hag instead turned his attention to Casemiro, whom he signed from Real Madrid in a £70 million raid. The Brazilian has proved a success at Old Trafford.
West Ham maintain that Rice is not available, with manager David Moyes suggesting at the weekend that it would take an offer larger than Chelsea's recent £110 million outlay on Enzo Fernandez to even get West Ham talking.
Arsenal have emerged as the frontrunners to sign Rice this summer, with the player reportedly even sounding out Gunners' stars over what life is like at the Emirates Stadium. Rice is thought to be keen to work with Mikel Arteta, who has a track record of helping players reach the next level.
However, West Ham hold all the power, with Rice under contract until the summer of 2024 and the option of a further year available to the Hammers. That means they are under no pressure to sell for another 18 months at least.
Manchester United may be tempted to launch another bid for Rice, but will face stiff competition from Arsenal, and also possibly Chelsea, when the summer window opens.
