Arteta responds to Rice transfer delay as Arsenal deadline approaches

13 July 2023 , 21:36

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Arteta responds to Rice transfer delay as Arsenal deadline approaches

Mikel Arteta remained tight-lipped when asked about Arsenal's summer transfer business as they close in on moves for Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber.

The Gunners are on the verge of signing both players as Arteta bids to kick his side's transfer business into gear. A record fee for Rice was agreed with West Ham eight days ago, but the Hammers are growing frustrated at the slow progress of the deal.

Timber, meanwhile, is set to join the Gunners in a £40million move from Ajax, with Arsenal beating off competition from Manchester United. Transfer chiefs at the Emirates appear to be keeping any details of the double move under wraps.

But following the Gunners' 1-1 draw against Nurnberg on Thursday, Arteta didn't give much away when quizzed on Arsenal's transfer business. He said: "At the moment we are working with the group of players that is here. We have nothing to announce yet, and when it is done you will be the first to know."

This comes after it was revealed that West Ham had been promised a Friday deadline for the paperwork to be finalised, according to Sky Sports. The same report suggests Rice may well be confirmed as an Arsenal player by the time the club jets off for a pre-season tour of the United States, while The Telegraph notes that Rice's holiday in Portugal has got in the way of final details being 'signed and sealed'.

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Rice has been spending time away training in Portugal as his proposed move gets closer and closer. He was seen working hard alongside Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes, AC Milan's Rafael Leao and Manchester City's Joao Cancelo as the quartet prepare to return to pre-season with their respective clubs.

Mikel Arteta and Declan Rice back in April (Getty Images)

If Arsenal succeed in wrapping up the Rice and Timber deals before the end of the week, manager Arteta could be able to call upon the pair for a multi-friendly tour. The Gunners will begin their US programme against Manchester United in New Jersey, and also face matches against Barcelona and a Major League Soccer All-Star team.

On the pitch, Bukayo Saka's first-half strike was enough to secure a draw against Bundesliga 2 side Nurnberg in a tricky pre-season opener for the Gunners. He added: "A lot of things that I saw in the first half and especially as a few of the boys have only had three training sessions so just to give them minutes and exposure to understand and start connecting with each other again.

"I’ve seen some really good things despite the amount of changes we made and that is why the game declined, especially in quality and in control but we knew that was going to happen."

Kieran King