With the West Ham midfielder on the verge of joining Arsenal, Declan Rice and Eddie Nketiah could be set for an unpleasant reunion.
The Gunners have reached an agreement in principle with Rice while the finer aspects of the transfer are being worked out. According to the Daily Mail, Arsenal would initially pay £100m for the 24-year-old, with a further $5m to be paid in add-ons.
The story further states that Mikel Arteta and company are keen to pay back the Hammers over a four-year period, but the east London club prefers to get the complete amount by 2025.
Following Manchester City’s withdrawal from the running after Arsenal’s most recent offer, a move is about to be confirmed.
Rice will link up with England teammates Aaron Ramsdale and Bukayo Saka.
However, he may have his reservations about reuniting with Nketiah, following the pair’s recent on-field feud.
The duo were involved in an “angry exchange” in May 2022 during a clash between West Ham and Arsenal at the London Stadium, talkSPORT explained.
Trending Stories: Joan Laporta Accuses La Liga President Of Bias Against Barcelona
With the Gunners 2-1 up at the time, Nketiah was doing his best to wind down the clock as Arsenal went in search of three points to add to their title hopes.
The 24-year-old could be seen standing in the way of Aaron Cresswell, preventing the left-back taking a free-kick, leading to a scuffle between both sets of players.
Rice in particular took umbrage with Nketiah’s antics, squaring up to his compatriot, before the pair exchanged some choice words.
Interestingly, both players go way back, having previously played together within Chelsea’s academy set-up.
COMMENTS