Bundesliga bound? These are the clubs looking to snatch up Declan Rice

Declan Rice has emerged as one of the best defensive midfielders in England over the past few years and there is no shortage of suitors for him, let’s take a look at some possible destinations for Rice and what the rumour mill is saying.

Rice was made club captain of West Ham after the retirement of club legend, Mark Noble, and despite an up-and-down Premier League season as a team, Rice has consistently produced world-class performances, attracting attention from some of the biggest clubs in the world.

Arsenal have been linked to Rice for some time now, with rumours emerging in January of their admiration for the player.

When it comes to football transfers, there is no one more reliable than Romano who has stated time and again Arsenal have been working hard on this deal for some time and are in the driver’s seat at the moment for the transfer, but won’t bid until West Ham play their European Conference League final out of respect.

Rice to Arsenal is by no means a sure thing but with the rumours circulating, it certainly seems like the most likely destination for the player at this stage. 8/10.

Rice spent some of his youth career at Chelsea before they released him as a teenager, he remains fond of the club and they are certainly willing to splash the cash. A year ago this seemed the most likely destination, but rumours seem to suggest Chelsea are in the chasing pack at the moment.

According to TalkSport, Chelsea are “definitely in the race” to sign the Englishman. Given the incredible amounts of money the West London club has spent recently, splashing another £100 million on Rice would seem unrealistic, but with Todd Boehly it is almost impossible to predict.

With Financial Fair Play regulations in place, Chelsea have to sell before they can buy which puts them at a distinct disadvantage in the race for Rice, but he is rumoured to have been a Chelsea fan as a kid, so it certainly could happen. 5/10

United remain the biggest club in England, despite their recent inconsistencies and they are certainly not lacking for funds. Erik Ten Hag needs a big summer to continue his rebuild and Rice would be exactly the sort of statement signing they would love at Old Trafford.

Sami Mokbel is the Mail Online’s transfer ‘In the Know’ and he is reporting United are well and truly in the race to sign the England international, but know they are late to the party and face stiff competition.

United’s status in world football is nearly unparalleled and they appear to be an attractive option to some of the best players in the world. Rice would certainly buttress a midfield lacking depth and Ten Hag has shown he can work in England, so this transfer could well happen. United would probably have to gazump any offer Arsenal put forward first, however. 6/10.

A late entrant to the Declan Rice sweepstakes is the German powerhouse, Bayern Munich. Managed by former Chelsea boss, Thomas Tuchel, the Bavarians are rumoured to be huge fans of the 24-year-old and could well be his eventual destination.

According to Florian Plettenberg, a journalist for Sky in Germany, Rice and Tuchel spoke on the phone and Rice left the conversation impressed with what he heard, Plettenberg reporting, "Been told it was a good talk. Both appreciate each other. Rice is open to join[ing] Bayern & Tuchel.”

Munich offers near-guaranteed trophies and deep runs in the Champions League, they are also willing to splash the cash to land Rice, but reporting has suggested he is unwilling to leave London in the past. Munich are also aware Rice and Arsenal are in communication so need to act quickly. 7/10.

All the clubs mentioned are financially capable of pulling off this transfer, and it is understandable why they are after the talented Rice. None of them will want to be dragged into a bidding war, so expect this to get wrapped up quite quickly.

Whilst Arsenal are current favourites, there is nothing guaranteed, Munich seem next in line as they try to move quickly to secure the transfer, the first for a big-name English player to the Bundesliga for decades, whilst Chelsea and United are in the chasing pack. An exciting summer of transfers and rumours awaits!