Arsenal make Declan Rice top summer transfer target and are confident of beating Man Utd and Chelsea to £80m star

ARSENAL will pay more than £80million for Declan Rice after making him their top transfer target.

The Gunners are increasingly confident they can land the West Ham midfielder in the summer after their fine start to this campaign.

David Moyes’ Hammers value the England ace at £100m.

That is despite the player having just one more season on his current deal.

There is an option to extend by a year but Rice, 24, is desperate for Champions League football and has rejected West Ham’s last three contract offers.

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal believe their eight-point Premier League lead puts them in a strong position.

Rice’s boyhood club Chelsea remain admirers —  he supports the Blues, played in their academy until 14 and is best mates with Mason Mount.

But Graham Potter’s side are TENTH and their top-four hopes look slim.

Manchester United were tempted to move for Rice last summer.

However, they were put off the east London club’s £150m fee and opted for Casemiro from Real Madrid.

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Arsenal want a winger this window but Hammers skipper Rice fits Arteta’s plan to sign top prospects with room to improve.

Rice is seen as ideal to freshen up a midfield that includes Granit Xhaka, 30, and Thomas Partey, 29.