There’s a lot riding on the Declan Rice to Arsenal deal not least the ability for his current club, West Ham, to be able to enter the transfer market in a significant way.
The Hammers should be able to give themselves a great chance of more European glory and a decent season domestically if David Moyes spends the reported £100m that will be available when Rice is officially unveiled by Arsenal wisely.
Though it isn’t immediately clear how much of the potential Rice fee David Sullivan will allow his manager to reinvest into the playing squad, it would be a travesty if he’s unable to make use of the entire amount given what could be achieved with such an outlay.
One player who Moyes could look to acquire for a cut price fee is Arsenal’s Nuno Tavares.
According to inews (subscription required), Mikel Arteta will allow the player, who has most recently been on loan at Marseille in Ligue Un, to leave as part of a reshuffle to accommodate the likes of Rice, Jurrien Timber and Kai Havertz.
At 23 years of age and with Premier League football experience, Tavares doesn’t necessarily represent a gamble for the Hammers.
Whether the player himself would be interested in a switch across London is likely to become clearer after the final details of any deal, including salary, are put forward.