Declan Rice: Ex-Chelsea star Aluko claims Guardiola helping Mikel Arteta with West Ham star

Eni Aluko accuses Guardiola of helping Arteta sign Rice.

Declan Rice: Ex-Chelsea star Aluko claims Guardiola helping Mikel Arteta with West Ham star

Izuchukwu Akawor 10:16 - 28.06.2023

Eni Aluko has questioned the interest of Pep Guardiola and Manchester City in West Ham United superstar and Arsenal target Declan Rice.

British-Nigerian pundit Eni Aluko has claimed that Manchester City and Pep Guardiola are not really interested in West Ham United star Declan Rice. 

According to the former Chelsea superstar and football director, Guardiola and City are in fact helping Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta according to TalkSport.

Man City
Mikel Arteta was Guardiola's assistant at Man City.

Arsenal and City have been in a battle for the Rice’s signature, with both clubs sending official bids to West Ham. 

However, the Gunners and Cityzens have seen several bids in excess £80m plus add-ons rejected by the Hammers in recent weeks. 

Guardiola helping Arteta in Rice's transfer

According to reports from Pulse Sports Nigeria, the clubs have had bids rejected as West Ham only want a whopping £100m to let go of their most prized asset Rice. 

West Ham receives record bid from Arsenal for Declan Rice
West Ham value Rice at 100 million pounds.

However, the intentions of Guardiola and City in the transfer have now been questioned by former Juventus and England star Aluko. 

Speaking on TalkSports, Aluko believes that Guardiola is playing out an old trick that she is familiar with as a ploy to help Arteta get his man.

Pep Guardiola wins treble with Man City
Pep Guardiola has been accused of playing a cat and mouse game with Rice.

“I think there’s a lot of cat and mouse going on here,” she said. “As a sporting director I used to do this a lot.

“I used to call up a club, a big club, and say, ‘right can you put a bid in’ and that would basically force my owner to put a higher bid in.

“I don’t think Manchester City actually want to sign Declan Rice, I think what’s going on is Arteta has picked up the phone to Pep [Guardiola] and said ‘listen, Arsenal are going to do the incremental bid approach, if you put a higher bid in, that will push my owner.”

Mikel Arteta
Mikel Arteta is one of the highest-paid coaches in world football in 2023

Meanwhile, in a related development, Arteta and Arsenal have now tabled an improved bid for Rice that matches West Ham’s valuation. 

You can read all about the record move by the Gunners on Pulse Sports Nigeria

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