09 May 2023 , 17:59
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Arsenal and Liverpool have been dealt a blow in their pursuit of Declan Rice after West Ham increased their valuation of the England international.
Rice, 24, has one year left on his contract and could leave the London Stadium this summer. Several Premier League clubs are interested in his signature, including Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool.
However, according to the Telegraph, Rice's price could be inflated depending on Jude Bellingham and how much Real Madrid are willing to pay for the 19-year-old. Los Blancos are the firm favourites to sign Bellingham in the summer, although Manchester City are not giving up the fight.
It is understood that a fee of around £130million is being discussed to prize Bellingham away from Borussia Dortmund, but Real are hoping to pay much less. The German club are prepared to hold out for the world-record fee for a midfielder, however, as Bellingham still has two years' remaining on his contract.
If Dortmund sell Bellingham for a high price, then West Ham are expected to value Rice similarly, although no team, as of yet, have shown willingness to cough up more than £100m. Arsenal are Rice's most likely destination and they are supposedly hoping to spend around £70m on the midfielder.
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West Ham are in danger of freezing Rice out of a move, although the Three Lions star is said to want to make the switch to a Champions League club. The Hammers have an option to extend Rice's contract by a further 12 months - which would put them in a stronger negotiating position - but it would be against Rice's determination to leave.
West Ham midfielder Declan Rice (Getty Images)Should Rice depart, West Ham have their sights on James Ward-Prowse. Southampton are set to be relegated from the Premier League and will go down if they fail to beat Fulham - regardless of other results. The 27-year-old scored from the penalty spot in Saints' 4-3 defeat at Nottingham Forest on Monday.
When asked about reports Southampton are willing to sell the midfielder, Ward-Prowse said: "There's nothing in that, no. The club know my thoughts and my position in terms of what I want to achieve in my career, and nothing has changed within that despite where we are in the league.
"I want to give my all for this football club. and I always have done. Every time I put the shirt on I always give 100 percent and that's no different whether we lose our next game or we win it, it won't change who I am as a person and that's giving everything for this club."
He added: "For me, it's just being focused on where I am now and giving my all for this club, which I always have done since I was eight years old. So that for me doesn't change.
"What happens beyond that, who knows, I don't know. But I'm just focused on doing everything I can in the next three games to give the club the chance to stay in the Premier League."