Arsenal finally complete £100m Declan Rice deal as West Ham captain joins on a long-term deal

The most protracted transfer saga of the summer so far has finally come to an end after Declan Rice was finally announced as an Arsenal player for an initial £100m. 

Rice had been strongly linked to the Gunners for months as the north Londoners and West Ham spent the last few weeks thrashing out the finer points of the deal. 

The 24-year-old, whose transfer fee could rise to £105m, arrives at the club on a five-year contract with the option of a further year, hot on the heels of Jurrien Timber, who has joined from Ajax. 

Speaking to Arsenal's official media channels after the signing was completed, sporting director Edu said: "Declan is a player with fantastic ability and a proven record at both club and international levels.

"The process of this transfer has been a big team effort with a clear plan, and we are so happy that Declan is joining us.

"Declan is a high-quality, young international player who will add great strength to our squad, fitting so well into our strategy of competing with young talented players at the centre of our club.

"It's great that Declan will be joining up with Mikel, our coaches and his new team-mates in good time ahead of the new season."

Manager Mikel Arteta enthused: "We're really happy that Declan is joining us. He is a player with tremendous ability, who has been performing at a high level in the Premier League and for England for a number of seasons now.

"Declan is bringing undoubted quality to the club and he is an exceptional talent who has the potential to be very successful here.

"Declan has great experience in the Premier League at only 24 years old. He has captained a very good West Ham team and as we all saw, he recently lifted a European trophy [when the Irons beat Fiorentina 2-1 in the Europa Conference League final in June].

"The responsibility and role he has taken on has been very impressive, and we are really excited that he is joining us."

It's easy to see why Arteta would want the England international, with his supreme ball-winning abilities, impressive ball-carrying and crisp passing marking him out as one of the Premier League's elite deep-lying midfielders. 

His strong fitness record is also welcome given that Granit Xhaka has departed and Thomas Partey is injury-prone. Rice will wear the No 41 shirt, the number he made his own at West Ham. 

In his time at the London Stadium, Rice made almost 250 appearances, scoring 15 times and winning the Hammers' Player of the Year in three of the last four seasons.