Transfer gossip: Arsenal increase Rice offer as Arteta eyes another Man City star

Arsenal have already increased the amount they are willing to pay for Declan Rice, while Mikel Arteta also wants to raid Manchester City again this summer…

ARSENAL TO OFFER £92M FOR RICE
On Tuesday, the word was that Arsenal wouldn’t go above £90million while trying to sign Declan Rice. Barely two days later, that figure has risen.

According to The Telegraph, Arsenal will offer West Ham £92million for the England midfielder, which is creeping closer to the £100million West Ham have always wanted.

The Gunners feel that by offering a big wedge of that up front, the Hammers may be willing to come down slightly, and they are confident of sealing a deal despite competition from Manchester United.

Bayern Munich are also interested in Rice, according to The Mirror, as Thomas Tuchel looks to shake up his midfield. Tuchel’s revamp could involve Joshua Kimmich moving to Barcelona, who have the Germany international in mind as a replacement for the retiring Sergio Busquets, according to Mundo Deportivo. Sport says Barca have already reached a verbal agreement to sign Ilkay Gundogan when his Manchester City contract expires this summer.

Read more: Seven ways Arsenal lead the rest of the Premier League (including Manchester City)

GUNNERS EYE CITY OUTCAST
The Telegraph story also plots an Arsenal-City-Bayern triangle, with Joao Cancelo in the middle of it.

Cancelo is currently on loan at Bayern from City having moved to Bavaria in Janaury after falling out with Pep Guardiola – something the Portugal international may now be rueing while City canter towards the Treble. Cancelo has done fine at Bayern, but not so well that the Bundesliga leaders are tempted to make it a permanent arrangement.

Arsenal, though, would happily take the former Juventus star. Mikel Arteta wants two defenders this summer and Cancelo is viewed as the ideal recruit to bolster their options at full-back.

But the Gunners know that dealing with City won’t be easy. Cancelo is under contract until 2027 so the Premier League leaders are unlikely to be quite as willing to deal with their title rivals as they were least summer when they allowed Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko to move to north London.

UNITED AGREE DEFENDER DEAL
Manchester United are in a state of limbo while they wait for the takeover saga to conclude. But the Red Devils know they have a small window to land Kim Min-jae.

A clause in the Napoli defender’s contract makes him available for £51million during a two-week period in July and United are keen to take advantage, regardless of whose name is above the Old Trafford door.

According to Il Mattino, United have agreed personal terms with Min-jae’s agent while they wait for their opportunity to pounce.