Declan Rice has joined Arsenal from West Ham in a record £105m deal.
The transfer is made up of a £100m initial fee plus £5m in performance-related add-ons.
It is the highest amount an English club has paid for an English player.
Arsenal had two club-record bids rejected by West Ham - the first a £90m offer and its opening offer thought to be worth £80m plus add-ons.
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Rice, who led West Ham to a Europa Conference League trophy, bid a heartfelt goodbye to a club he considered "home" on Saturday morning.
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He described how much of a "tough" decision it had been for him to leave the east London club but it was ultimately down to his "ambition to play at the very highest level of the game".
The 24-year-old midfielder said: "The last few days and weeks have been an absolute whirlwind of emotion, but it is important to me that I have the opportunity to say goodbye and reflect on what has been such a special and memorable part of my life.
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"When I travelled all the way from my home in south west London to Essex for a trial with West Ham at the age of 14, not really knowing what to expect, or whether it was a good idea to consider the possibility of playing for a club miles away from my family and where I had grown up.
"However, I knew from the very first moment I walked into Chadwell Heath that I had found another place I could call home."
West Ham thanked Rice for his service to the club and the "memories" he left behind.
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The England star's statement said: "The loyal, passionate, devoted, at times hilarious, and always honest Hammers, who are massive everywhere you go…!
"You have taken me into your hearts as one of your own from day one. Even when it was just a handful of fans at the Under-18 or Under-23 games, I felt that love, and it has just grown stronger as the years have passed."
Arsenal have confirmed the signing Declan Rice from West Ham in a £105million deal. The Athletic
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reported earlier this month that the midfielder had been given permission to undergo a medical and finalise personal terms after the two clubs had settled on a transfer fee of £100million plus £5million in add-ons in June.
But the England international says the Gunners "seemed more exciting". Declan Rice has revealed he chose to join Arsenal last summer instead of Manchester City, because the Gunners "seemed more exciting". The England international made the switch from West Ham United in a deal worth over £100 million last summer.
He's worth 105M to Arsenal. Sure as a stand alone player in a vacuum he may not be, but to them he's seen as the missing piece to get a trophy so they're okay with paying it. If they go and win the prem or ucl, he'll have been worth it.
It is thought he has to play 60 per cent of Arsenal's games. West Ham do not receive any extras should Arsenal win a trophy, such as finally being crowned Premier League champions, and weighted the deal heavily in favour of a guaranteed £100 million.
His paternal grandparents were from Douglas, County Cork, in Ireland. He joined the academy of Chelsea in 2006, as a seven-year-old. In 2013, after his release at age 14, he joined the academy of West Ham United after a trial period in the spring.
Our record signing in the summer of 2023, England international Declan was an immediate hit in north London, enhancing his reputation as one of the best and most progressive defensive midfielders in the game, while also supplying added ammunition up front as he pushed forward through the season.
It has taken longer than most fans would have liked, but midfielder Declan Rice has finally completed his transfer to Arsenal with confirmation that the £100 million ($130m) deal, which could increase by up to £5m in add-ons, has now officially been done.
“A lot of people see me as a disruptive midfield player, but I know I can do much more,” Rice told CBS Sports before Porto. “At the moment I'm playing in the No 8, which has allowed me to be more free, score goals and be involved in the play higher up (the pitch). It's a completely different position to No 6.
Rice is a good passer, but not quite at the level of someone like Jorginho. That is no slight. Furthermore, asking Rice to play as the holding pivot inhibits his impact in other areas. Rice, when unshackled, is a force of nature.
The fact is that the 24‑year‑old had to leave for the sake of his career. Rice joined West Ham when he was 14 and still loves the club but it was time to move on. Nobody can begrudge his desire to compete for major honours and play in the Champions League every season. It was never going to happen at West Ham.
Debt. West Ham's gross financial debt was unchanged at £56m, very largely a £55m debt facility with MSD Holdings Ltd plus £611k debenture loans. The MSD loan was repaid in full after these accounts in August 2023, replaced by a new short-term facility with Barclays Bank.
Presently, Rice earns an estimated £250,000 a week at Arsenal and that figure would make him one of the highest paid players in the Premier League. Going off his current salary, that equates to £12.4m a year, while it has been estimated elsewhere that his net worth is a staggering £26 million.
Declan tattooed his international legacy number 1241 on his left knee. In football a legacy number is a unique identifier assigned to players based on their sequence of appearances or caps for a particular national team.
While edging closer to football, Rice signed for Arsenal in 1964 but only as an apprentice. Two years later in 1966 Rice agreed to professional terms and managed to reach The Gunners youth and reserve sides.
Trending. "Like so many people around the world, I consider myself to be of mixed nationality. I am a proud Englishman, having been born and raised in London. However, I am just as proud of my family's Irish heritage and my affinity and connection with the country.
Right back Brendon Batson was Arsenal's first black player. After signing professional terms for the Gunners in January 1971, he made his league debut in the 2-0 defeat at Newcastle United in March 1972.
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