According to reports, Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich are interested in signing Arsenal target Declan Rice from West Ham United.

The Gunners are in the market for a new midfielder ahead of this summer and Rice is among their main targets.

They will be looking to replace Granit Xhaka, who is being heavily linked with a move for Bayer Leverkusen.

Rice has emerged as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League and he has also shone for England at international level.

The 24-year-old is likely to leave West Ham this summer as they are willing to let him leave if their asking price is met. It is being reported that they want £100m for their prized asset.

Arsenal are one of the clubs leading the race to sign Rice but they face competition from Bayern Munich, according to German journalist Christian Falk.

Rice is ‘being discussed internally at Munich’ but the potential fee for him makes their chances of signing him ‘slim’.

“Sports director Hasan Salihamidzic and coach Thomas Tuchel continue to work on their list of players who should come for the new season,” Falk wrote for Caught Offside.

“On May 30, the Supervisory Board decides on the budget. A new name is being discussed internally at Munich: Declan Rice from West Ham.

“Tuchel would have liked to have brought him to Chelsea. However, Bayern know that the chance is slim. The fee will be high. However, Bayern need a lot of money for the offer for striker Randal Kolo Muani.

“That’s why the following are still on the list of Bayern Munich: Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea) and Edson Alvarez (Ajax). Mason Mount (Chelsea) and Kai Havertz (Chelsea) are not topics considered by the club at the moment.”

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A separate report from Fabrizio Romano claims Arsenal are “thinking of the first bid” for Rice.

“Arsenal will go for new midfielders in the summer, it could be two, from what I understand, and Declan Rice remains the top target. He remains top of the list at Arsenal, since January he’s a name that’s been discussed internally,” Romano stated via his Here We Go YouTube channel.

“We can say now that Arsenal are now preparing and thinking of the first bid for Declan Rice, it is not submitted yet. But they are preparing that bid internally, it means that they are waiting to understand how much West Ham want in order to submit the first proposal, they will also respect West Ham as they are busy with European football, so right after the Conference League they will be able to negotiate with West Ham.”

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