The Declan Rice deal is very noisy now. My advice – ignore it all.

I have never known a deal where so many journalists seem to have access to information.

The majority of these journalists (and “news” Twitter accounts) are not actually privy to anything. They are either guessing what is happening, or just putting a spin on what other, more connected, journalists are saying.

Those putting a spin on things will change a couple of details of the rumours, or make it look like Arsenal are closer or further away from compelting the deal. All to stand out from the crowd. To drive those clicks, hits and RTs that they need to generate revenue.

But there are some journalists, and Twitter accounts, that are privy to information.

Where do they get their information? You ask.

A variety of sources. I answer. With the main ones being either the clubs themselves of player representatives.

Clubs will often use journalists and social media bods to leak details of deals. Agents will do the same.

They do this in an attempt to:

• drive up the transfer fee
• drive down the transfer fee
• drive up wages
• get a deal to hurry up
• generate interest from other clubs

And this is what is happening with the Declan Rice deal.

The leaks are coming from the West Ham side, not the Arsenal or Rice sides.

We know this because of who is breaking the news. Mark Noble’s autobiographier and big West Ham Twitter accounts.

Those breaking the news right now are basically the West Ham versions of David Ornstein and Arseblog.

Everyone else writing about the deal is basically jumping on what either these two say. And then creating their own narrative which often ends up misquoting and those that actually know things.

So let’s take the Manchester City news as an example.

“Man City showing interest in Declan Rice” was what broke Thursday. This lead to hysteria from certain West Ham fans, who are literally begging for Manchester City to buy their captain:

DO SOMETHING FOR ME MANCHESTER CITY I BEG

— West Ham (C)entral 🏆 (@WestHam_Central) June 15, 2023

Arsenal won’t win a bidding war with City lol come on the boys in blue bring it home and pair him with Rodri

— West Ham (C)entral 🏆 (@WestHam_Central) June 15, 2023

It is clear that the leak of City’s interest came from the west Ham side due to who was “breaking it”.

Firstly, it is not exactly breaking news that Manchester City (and Chelsea and Manchester United) are interested in Declan Rice. Rice is World Class and was always going to attract interest.

But there is a difference between a club showing interest, and a club taking serious interest. And none of the 3 clubs named above have taken serious interest.

They might have contacted Rice’s intermediaries to discuss whether he would be interested in joining (the first step in any transfer) and have all probably been knocked back. Rice wants Arsenal. And there interest moved elsewhere.

Chelsea moved their focus to Moises Caicedo, Manchester City look to be signing Matteo Kovacic on a free transfer, and as for Manchester United – who knows?

The leak about Manchester City is just an attempt by West Ham to try push up Arsenal’s transfer offer.

West Ham hoped there would be a bidding war for Rice. Arsenal, City, United, Chelsea, Bayern Munich and more. That has not (yet) happened, so they are trying to create a fake one using favourable journalists and large Twitter accounts.

This information leaked then gets re-hashed by other journalists and smaller Twitter accounts, giving the stories legs and a larger reach.

It has even gone as far as journalists not close to the deal (and smaller Twitter accounts) writing stories such as “City offer West Ham £70m+Phillips”. No. That has not happened.

The other part of the deal that is being leaked is what Arsenal have offered, and had rejected.

Reports that Arsenal offered around £80m+£10m in add-ons. That West Ham found this offer “embarrassing” and the add-ons “unrealistic”. Again this all came from the West Ham side.

West Ham are attempting to shame Arsenal publicly into increasing the bid. Hoping that by using emotive words, they will get Arsenal fans critcise Edu and his team online. That the media will eat it up. And that this will pressure Arsenal into increasing the offer to save face.

But it has to be remembered those negotiating are not some 18-year-old trying to buy his first car.

It is Richard Garlick, Director of Operations, and Tim Lewis, non-executive director.

Despite some often mentioning Edu and Vinai Venkatesham, neither man gets involved in negotiating with clubs or players. Venkatesham previously did under the Raul Sanllehi regime but has not stepped aside.

To put it simple, Edu establishes who we should be alongside Mikel Arteta and the recruitment team. They then pass this onto Garlick and Lewis who try to get the deals done.

Garlick is the former Premier League Director of Football, who oversaw negoations for new TV deals at home and abroad. Lewis is a corporate lawyer with decades of experience at top London firms. These lads are not mugs and will not buckle under a bit of social media pressure.

If you look at where the news is coming from, and ignore the noise from those that do not know, it becomes very obvious that West Ham are leaking news in try and push up the money Arsenal will pay for Rice.

At the end of the day, it does not matter what Manchester City offer West Ham. If Rice does not want to join them, he will not sign a contract. And West Ham fans need to realise that!

So what do we actually know?

Arsenal bid for West Ham, and that bid was someway off their asking price. But this is totally normal in football.

West Ham want £120m, but they will probably sell for £100m. Arsenal wanted are happy to pay £100m, so start the bidding at £80m. And then you meet in the middle – £100m.

If West Ham only demanded £100m to begin with, the deal would probably get done for £90m. Likewise if Arsenal went in at £100m, we would end up paying £110m.

I do wonder sometimes if some of the Twitterati have ever bought themselves a car or a house.

Never pay the asking price. And your first offer should never be at the top of what you are willing to pay.

And negotiating to buy a football player is no different to buying a house or car.

Even in my old job as a recruiter, the rates I quoted would be based on 25% mark up, but my KPI was 20%. That then allowed me to be negotiated town to 20%. The buyer thinks they have got a deal and I have got what I wanted.

So ignore the noise, or at least understand who is making it.

My bet is the deal is done over the next 7 days before Rice goes away on his holidays.

UTA.

Keenos

From an Arsenal fan ahead of Father’s Day! Someone’s old man is going to be very happy!

This print is part of our #Arsenal Anfield 89 collection…https://t.co/90tkB9JKAj pic.twitter.com/QL9ohmqC92

— Kick Off Merchants (@KOMerchants) June 15, 2023