Declan Rice wants 'three assurances' from Man City in order to snub Arsenal move

Declan Rice would like some assurances from Manchester City if he is to choose the Etihad over the Emirates this summer, according to reports.

Rice has been the subject of two rejected bids from Arsenal, the latest of which is said to be worth up to £90 million including add-ons.

The Gunners have been long-standing favourites to sign the 24-year-old midfielder, although news of interest from the winning machine that is Manchester City has cast doubt over Mikel Arteta's plans.

Last night, Sky Sports journalist Gianluca Di Marzio broke the news that Rice had got closer to a move to City and that there was a "confidence to reach a final agreement with West Ham".

Indeed, a new midfielder will be on Pep Guardiola's shopping list following the imminent departure of club captain Ilkay Gundogan's to Barcelona.

However, should Rice make the switch from London to Manchester, the England international is keen to agree on three particular circumstances before putting pen to paper.

According to the Daily Star, Rice wants a guarantee that Guardiola will stay as manager of the team, with the Spaniard's current contract due to expire in 2025.

He is also said to want a long-term role in the side and would like to play a key part from the get-go.

The Daily Mail claims Rice doesn't want to be introduced into the starting 11 slowly like Jack Grealish, but become a permanent fixture from the start of the campaign.

Indeed, Grealish could be pivotal in convincing his compatriot to join City after establishing himself as one of Guardiola's most trusted players last season.

Meanwhile, the same report states that Arteta believes Rice could become the future captain of Arsenal if he signed for the north London club.

The Gunners are widely expected to return with an improved offer for Rice, but whether they are able to match the financial juggernaut that is Manchester City remains to be seen.

Before going on international duty with England, Rice had said of his future: "There’s interest from other clubs, that’s out there, but ultimately I’ve still got two more years at West Ham.

"I love this club, I love playing for this club. There hasn’t been nothing yet, so my focus is on playing for West Ham, enjoying tonight and seeing what happens.

"I’m captain of this club, I absolutely love it to pieces and cannot speak highly enough of this place so let’s just see what happens. Let’s just wait and see."

Ultimately, it could come down to Rice's personal preference, leaving both clubs' trying every trick in the book to persuade the player to join them.

Topics: Declan Rice, Arsenal, Manchester City, Pep Guardiola, Transfers, Football, Premier League, West Ham United, Jack Grealish

Joe Adams

Joe is a Journalist for SPORTbible with a primary focus on football. He has previously covered a number of other sports including boxing, rugby and F1. Wishes he was born left-footed.

@joeadamsjourno