Declan Rice has maintained positive relations with most West Ham fans since joining Arsenal but that may change in light of a new revelation.
West Ham had known for some time that Declan Rice would be leaving them last summer.
But that certainly didn’t make his move to London rivals Arsenal any easier to take.
The Gunners paid what was a record £105m for the Hammers captain in a move that many West Ham fans have found hard to stomach.
Historically there is no great rivalry between West Ham and Arsenal. But Hammers supporters made it clear they would have found it much more palatable had Rice joined Manchester City or a foreign club.
Man City did bid for Rice but it emerged that he ‘only wanted Arsenal’.
Truth behind Rice talks angered West Ham fans
In the summer a Sky Sports reporter claimed Rice had his heart set on the move to the Emirates since the February and particularly the prospect of working with Mikel Arteta.
The claims that Rice had been privately discussing and contemplating a move to Arsenal before last summer have – understandably – angered many Hammers fans. Especially given he was the club’s captain.
Gunners boss Arteta has since confirmed he held talks with Rice long before last summer. And that the midfielder was ‘desperate’ to join the north Londoners.
Most Hammers supporters have made peace with that fact.
But Melissa Reddy’s new revelation about Rice’s Arsenal move will seriously anger West Ham fans.
Sky Sports reporter’s new Rice claim will anger fans
The Sky Sports reporter has just interviewed Rice at length about joining Arsenal over Man City ahead of the big clash between the two clubs this weekend.
And Reddy has revealed that Rice’s move to Arsenal was in the works for a full YEAR before it happened.
Reddy claims Arsenal’s former director of football operations turned MD Richard Garlick had been cosying up to Rice’s dad Sean and the star’s brother – who represent him – way back in 2022.
“A full year before the midfielder agreed to add more steel to Arsenal’s swagger, his club-record-obliterating transfer had been sketched,” Reddy states.
Rice’s dad and brother had talks a full year before move
“A complex and unprecedented deal in the club’s history was also helped by director of football operations Richard Garlick, who was promoted to MD at the turn of the year, building a strong relationship with the player’s father, brother and commercial advisor who take care of his career.
“There was not even a flinch when City tried to muscle in on the transfer as Arsenal considered it done. Their only concern was settling on a fee with West Ham, not losing out to rivals due to the formidable work they had put into the move.”
Of course big deals like this don’t happen overnight.
But it was bad enough when West Ham fans thought Rice and his representatives were having talks a few months before the move. Let alone a full year!
This may well be the final straw for many fans when it comes to Rice.
It certainly won’t sit well with many.