TalkSPORT pundit urges £70m player to snub league winners and join Arsenal

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TalkSPORT pundit Perry Groves has suggested that West Ham star Declan should join Arsenal over Bayern Munich this summer.

Mikel Arteta’s men have widely been viewed as the front-runners to sign Rice ahead of the summer.

Arsenal have been heavily linked with a move for the 24-year-old and Fabrizio Romano named them as the favourites to land him just last week. 

But Bayern Munich’s recent interest has thrown a spanner in the works.

Indeed, Sky Sports Germany’s Uli Koehler claimed just yesterday that the West Ham star has spoken to Thomas Tuchel over the phone. 

The Bundesliga champions believe they can afford a deal to bring Rice to Germany over the summer.

Yet, Perry Groves has urged Rice to sign for Arsenal as he feels the midfielder would be a good fit for Mikel Arteta’s side.

Groves urges Rice to join Arsenal

Speaking on TalkSPORT, Groves suggested that Rice wouldn’t be walking into an ideal situation at Bayern due to the recent ‘turmoil’ off the pitch. 

“Arsenal would suit him because of the way and style Arteta has got them playing at the moment,” the pundit said.

“If he went to Bayern Munich, I’d totally understand it because they are a massive club and they’ve won 11 Bundesliga’s on the trot,” Groves added. 

“But I think there’s a bit of turmoil around Bayern Munich as well off the pitch. Oliver Kahn’s been given the sack as the CEO.”

“Also, if you went to Bayern Munich and you’ve got the turmoil, I’d be saying look at Sadio Mane,” he went on. “It didn’t work out for him at all.

“Just a little bit in the back of my mind was thinking if you were a massive signing, Declan Rice is £90 to £100 million, you go there as a big signing and it’s the twelfth season that Bayern don’t win the title, who gets the blame? The massive signing.”

It would be a massive blow for Arsenal if Rice was to make the switch to Munich this summer.

Arteta’s men have been lining up a move for the England star for months, but Bayern seem to be pressing ahead with their attempts to land him.

Nevertheless, you get the feeling that Rice may prefer to stay in England during the earlier stages of his career.

He’s attracting interest from the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea as well as Arsenal, so the £70 million man should get the pick of the bunch this summer.