Arsenal face competition from Bayern Munich for the signature of West Ham United captain Declan Rice, with Thomas Tuchel identifying the England international as a key component of his midfield rebuild. The German champions have signalled their interest in the 24-year-old, who is expected to leave the London Stadium this summer.
According to German outlet Bild, Tuchel plans to deploy Rice at the base of midfield, allowing Joshua Kimmich to operate in a more advanced role. The Bayern boss, who took over at the end of March, has long admired Rice from his time at Chelsea and is ready to mount a charm offensive to bring him to Bavaria.
Arsenal have already opened talks with West Ham over a move for Rice, who is valued at over £100 million. West Ham manager David Moyes has suggested the fee could exceed the British transfer record, currently held by Enzo Fernandez's £107 million move to Chelsea. Moyes also admitted there is a 'good chance' Rice will leave this summer.
Mikel Arteta views Rice as the long-term anchor of Arsenal's midfield, but the Gunners may need to convince the player to reject Tuchel's advances. Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea have all cooled their interest, leaving Arsenal and Bayern as the primary suitors.
West Ham are expected to trigger a one-year extension clause in Rice's contract, tying him to the club until 2025, but that is unlikely to deter potential buyers. The midfielder is widely expected to command a club-record fee for any suitor.
