Declan Rice will match Arsenal's top earner after contract negotiation breakthrough

· Mirror

Declan Rice is poised to pen fresh terms at Arsenal, having established himself as one of the key players under Mikel Arteta's management following a £105million move from West Ham

Declan Rice is reportedly close to agreeing a new contract with Arsenal which will see him bank a huge pay increase.

Rice's current deal is due to expire at the end of next season, but the Gunners have moved early to ward off any interest from their rivals. The midfielder joined the club in a £105million move from West Ham in the summer of 2023 and has become a lynchpin of Mikel Arteta's side.

He has made 165 appearances for Arsenal, contributing 21 goals and 33 assists while helping them to win a first Premier League title in 22 years last season.

His form has prompted Arsenal to enter into contract negotiations and BBC Sport reports that the talks have progressed well. Rice currently earns around £240,000 per week and is expected to jump close to the £350,000-a-week that Bukayo Saka takes home.

Saka is Arsenal's top-earner, having signed a new four-year contract in February. His new deal was followed by one for Arteta, who committed his future to the Gunners for another four years on Wednesday.

Arteta is now paid close to £20million per year, making him the best paid manager in the Premier League. Arsenal owners Stan and Josh Kroenke have been keen to secure their top talent and Rice is considered the next piece of the jigsaw.

“He can adapt to anything that you throw at him,” Arteta said of Rice's importance to the team last season. “But at the moment that forward thinking and anything that is in front of him is probably much more positive for the team.

> "He has earned the right to increase that role, to be more and more important, to be very present in everything that we do.

> “He’s in the leadership group, which is very important as well, and it’s a real presence. Sometimes you don’t need to just wear the armband to feel really connected, really powerful and really important in the team.”

Rice missed the most recent England camp for the Nations League, but Thomas Tuchel was full of praise for him at the World Cup in the summer.

“He is one of the very best midfielders in the world," the England boss said. "He’s humble, ready to be a team player, ready to give quality and energy to the group. He learns every day in his career.”

Rice, who has 80 caps and eight goals for his country, has made seven appearances for Arsenal across all competitions this season.

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