Manchester United are looking to hijack two of Arsenal’s potential summer transfers, with Mason Mount and Declan Rice both wanted by both sides before the satrt of the 2023-24 campaign.
The Gunners were thought to have made Rice their no.1 target this summer, with Mikel Arteta keen to freshen up his midfield following a disappointing end to their Premier League campaign, which has seen them win just twice in their last eight games.
Granit Xhaka is on the verge of leaving the club to join Bayer Leverkusen in a 15m euro deal, and it was believed that Rice would be the Swiss midfielder’s replacement in north London, with rumours that a bid had already gone in for the West Ham man.
They are also showing an interest in Mason Mount, with Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Manchester United also among his admirers.
Now, however, there are fears that they may not get either.
It emerged on Wednesday that Mount is leaning towards a move to Old Trafford should a bid be accepted by Chelsea, with the club’s first £55m bid knocked back and the Blues holding out for £85m.
As per the Daily Mail, ‘Arsenal’s initial valuation of Rice falls more than £10million short of West Ham’s price’, while ‘United head coach Erik ten Hag wants to bolster his midfield ahead of next season and believes Rice can add steel and energy to his team’.
Should he get his way, then he will reunite childhood friends Mount and Rice, but in the Red of Manchester United, not Arsenal, this summer.
