Manchester City, fresh from their second treble-winning season, is preparing to further fortify their reign over England. Reportedly, the club has entered the battle for Declan Rice and is also keeping tabs on another celebrated defender, Achraf Hakimi.
The Athletic suggests that Manchester City has formally approached West Ham United with a proposition for the English national team midfielder, offering "£80 million ($101.82 million), with a supplementary £10 million ($12.73 million) in add-ons, in an attempt to outbid Arsenal for his services this summer."
Arsenal, who finished second in the English Premier League, was initially predicted to clinch Rice from West Ham United, especially as the club was connected to him early in the transfer season.
Arsenal was previously reported to be closing in on securing Rice's signature. However, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano urged fans to withhold their enthusiasm as the deal was not yet certain.
Reacting to Manchester City's official bid for Rice, Romano stated, "Arsenal will bid again after 2 proposals rejected in the recent weeks. They are not giving up at this stage. Both (Manchester) City and Arsenal had plans to bid for Rice this week," he shared via a tweet.
Manchester City's formal proposal for Rice came as a surprise, given the club was also rumored to be eyeing Josko Gvardiol of the German Bundesliga team RB Leipzig. This pursuit was speculated to limit their financial flexibility, making a bid for Rice less plausible.
However, it seems Manchester City is keen to keep its options wide, potentially targeting both Gvardiol and Rice, as well as Paris Saint-Germain star Achraf Hakimi.
Manchester City is once again "ready to pay" to bolster its ranks with top talent "amid doubts over the future of long-serving full-backs Kyle Walker and Joao Cancelo," sources reveal.
Hakimi, an instrumental figure in Morocco's run to the semi-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, is a sought-after name among football enthusiasts. He has established his role in his young career thanks to his athletic defensive skills and attacking prowess, nurtured during his time as a winger in youth training.
The potential addition of Hakimi and Rice to their squad could provide Manchester City with a robust arsenal as they look to add to their trophy-laden cabinet.
