Arsenal may have denied Man Utd a second top midfielder after signing Rice

Arsenal pulled off a major coup when breaking the British transfer record fee to pluck Declan Rice from West Ham to the tune of £105m, while also thwarting bitter rivals Manchester United. The Red Devils had tracked Rice for some time, with many at the club seeing him as the second coming of Roy Keane.

Yet it has now emerged that Arsenal have not only acquired a world class talent and denied their title opponents from improving their squad, the Gunners may have inadvertently played a role in stopping United signing a back-up option.

Reports have now emerged that West Ham – flush with the millions that Arsenal have injected into their bank balance for Rice – are going all out to secure an agreement with Bayern Munich for Germany international Leon Goretzka.

The dynamic central midfielder is available on the market this summer, according to Sky Sports Germany, providing Bayern’s valuation of £34m is met without dispute.

For West Ham, such a deal is understood to be regarded as a no-brainer, should the Champions League winner show a willingness to join.

The news will come as a bitter blow to United, who have monitored Goretzka for several seasons and went toe-to-toe with Bayern for his signature initially back in 2018 when he moved from Schalke.

Erik ten Hag is believed to have viewed Goretzka as a ready made cog for his United machine, though the Red Devils had been hoping to haggle with Bayern over a fee for the 28-year-old.

The two clubs have a cordial relationship, following the loan agreement of Marcel Sabitzer last season. But any willingness from West Ham to immediately pay up is likely to force Bayern’s hand.

United could yet find themselves scrambling for midfield options this summer, with another target in the shape of Moises Caicedo poised to make the move from Brighton to Chelsea.

The implications may not even end there for Erik ten Hag, with United bracing themselves for West Ham to come knocking at their own door.

As part of the Rice riches, the Hammers are also tipped to make a play for forgotten man Harry Maguire.

The defender was this week embarrassingly stripped of the United captaincy by Ten Hag, and is expected to be sold for a cut-price fee this summer.

Rice himself has already endorsed West Ham’s proposed move for Maguire, and talked up the many qualities of the imposing centre back.

“He’s unbelievable. From the first time that I met H here he was top – top with me and top with the lads. He’s had a tough year but I think that proves how mentally strong he actually is,” Rice had previously said of Maguire during international duty with England.

“He’s crucial. He’s a leader, he’s strong, he’s unbelievable on the ball, he plays great passes into the middle. To play against he’s always really tough because you know what you’re playing against and to play with he’s special.”