West Ham ‘only interested’ in Arsenal fan favourite as part of Rice move and defender ‘set to sign’ new deal

Tonight will see the UEFA Champions League final between Manchester City and Inter take place as the curtain is finally brought down on the 2022/23 club football season in Europe.

Once the showpiece match is out of the way all eyes will be on the summer transfer window and it looks like it could be a busy one in North London as Arsenal look to strengthen their sqaud. Several players are being linked with the Gunners while many current first team players could be heading for the exit as the rumour mill keeps turning.

The future of West Ham and England midfielder Declan Rice is expected to be one of the biggest stories of the summer and Arsenal appear to be very much in the race for his signature but it could end up costing them one of the supporter’s favorite players as part of the deal to bring him to the Emirates. Elsewhere, the Gunners look to be keeping a hold of another popular star who is reportedly about to sign a new four year deal. Here are the latest Arsenal transfer news stories on Saturday, June 10:

West Ham ‘only interested’ in Arsenal fan favourite as part of Rice move

If Arsenal are to offer West Ham one of their players as part of any deal to sign Declan Rice then the Hammers are said to be only interested in one man. According to The Sun, that man is Emile Smith-Rowe who struggled for regular game time last season and only managed 14 first team appearances.

However, the England international is still only 22-years old and is a popular player with supporters so his exit may be one that stings more than some others. West Ham boss David Moyes is said to be a ‘big fan’ of the attacking midfielder and he could yet play an important part in getting the Hammers to lower their reported £110 million asking price.

Arsenal defender ‘set to sign’ new four year deal

Per a report from ESPN, Arsenal defender William Saliba is set to sign a new four-year contract with the club. The news will come as a major boost to Gunners’ supporters who have embraced the Frenchman this season as he has become not only a key part of Mikel Arteta’s first team but also another favourite amongst the fanbase.

The Frenchman only has 12 months remaining on his current deal so securing his future will have been a priority for the North London outfit after also tieing down Bukayo Saka on a new deal. Saliba made 39 appearances in all competitions for Arenal last season before his campaign was cut short by injury in March which coincided with a noticeable drop in form by the team shortly after.