The Gunners may not face harsh competition for this signing, given that Chelsea already hired Enzo Fernández and Man City's transfer activity is under investigation.

Just a week ago, Chelsea made history with the signing of Enzo Fernández, and it seems that such a record-breaking deal will not last long in the Premier League, as Arsenal are ready to break that fee by hiring another midfielder next summer.

A report by English media outlets suggests that Arsenal's first transfer target for the 2023-24 season was going to be Jude Bellingham, but with the footballer reportedly keen on joining Real Madrid, the top option on Mikel Arteta's radar would be none other than Declan Rice.

West Ham's midfielder is seen by many as the best midfielder in the Premier League, and with the Hammers potentially facing relegation next summer, the time to let Rice leave may have come. With that in mind, Arsenal are reportedly preparing a whopping $134M offer for the player's services.

The English international has also been sought out by Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City, but out of those three teams, only Manchester United would be a proper competition in the race to sign Rice. As you know, Chelsea spent quite a bit of money in hiring Enzo Fernández, and Manchester City have enough problems on their table to be worrying about new players, which would only leave the Red Devils as potential suitors for the talented player.

Arsenal's impressive season has seen them rise to the top spot in the Premier League and most experts label them as the most solid candidates to win the title. Will that be a key factor for Rice to choose them over Manchester United? We will have to wait until the summer to find out.