Featured Image Credit: Alamy - Instagram/transfers
Topics: Declan Rice, West Ham United, Fan Reactions, Arsenal
Jack Kenmare
Topics: Declan Rice, West Ham United, Fan Reactions, Arsenal
West Ham's official club store has given fans the option to personalise their new 23/24 home shirt with Declan Rice's name and number.
Earlier this month the Hammers removed the option to buy Rice's No41 shirt from their club shop after a British-record £105 million deal was agreed with last season's Premier League runners-up Arsenal.
But days later, fans are once again able to pre-order next season's home kit using Rice's name and squad number.
Rice is on the verge of joining Arsenal after he completed his medical on Friday. He will become their second signing of the summer following Kai Havertz £65 million move from Chelsea last month.
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Still, the small detail on West Ham's website has provided Hammers fans with a glimmer of hope.
This week, confirmation of Rice's move to Arsenal may well have been leaked ahead of an official announcement.
Nicole Holliday, who is a presenter at Arsenal, took to social media over the weekend, posting the following update on her Instagram story.
"Ok, I'm either going mad/need an eye test or I just saw Declan Rice at the airport," she wrote. "Was going to go and intro myself coz ya know, we'll be working together next season, but got scared loool."
Rice, who cut his summer break short to return to London to complete the final stages of his move from West Ham, could have been at the airport to travel back on holiday after completing his medical.
Rice to Arsenal looks inevitable, with talkSPORT pundit Danny Murphy recently opening up on what Rice told him outside a cafe.
Speaking on the FIVE YouTube channel, he said: "I’ve got to say, it’s worth saying I saw Dec on Sunday at the cafe by mine.
“He was outside, I popped out to see him. And we were chatting, and he was buzzing. He couldn’t wait to get to Arsenal. He said Arteta was magic when he met him.”