By OkayGoal
Declan Rice is expected to put pen to paper on a new long-term Arsenal contract, with the club optimistic that the midfielder signs after talks that began in March.
Securing the futures of key players remains a priority for the Gunners as they try to build on a title-winning campaign. Rice’s current deal runs until 2028, and avoiding a situation where he enters the final 18 months without progress has been a focus at the Emirates.
Reports had already suggested that discussions were advanced, and fresh information now points to a clear timeline for the final steps before any public announcement.
The Declan Rice Arsenal contract story has been running since talks began in March, and it now looks to be heading towards a conclusion, with Arsenal keen to tie him down.
Declan Rice Arsenal contract: what Romano and the BBC are reporting
Fabrizio Romano reports that Arsenal are advancing very well on a new deal, with negotiations now in the final stages. The salary agreement is almost there, as are the length of the contract and the final details. Romano also reported in September that a new contract was really close, if not imminent.
Sami Mokbel of the BBC recently reported that Rice was close to agreeing a new long-term deal, with talks underway since March and the process at an advanced stage. Mokbel wrote that Rice would receive a significant increase on his current £240,000-a-week deal, putting him in the region of £350,000 a week.
When will Declan Rice sign his new Arsenal deal?
Sources have told now.arsenal that the club and the player’s camp are now pretty much on the same terms. Talks are planned for December, with the deal expected to be signed shortly afterwards. An announcement is then anticipated in January.
The timeline suggests the remaining formalities can be handled once the December discussions take place, so Arsenal fans should not expect anything official before the new year.
Why Arsenal see Rice as essential
Arsenal consider Rice a crucial player, and he is loved by everyone within the club, from his teammates to the hierarchy. Last season he made 55 appearances as the side won the Premier League, and he has already played 10 times this term, nine of them starts, in the first 11 games.
The midfielder continues to influence matches both defensively and in the final third, which is why the debate over where he ranks among the league’s best midfielders has been so lively. He even admitted earlier this year that the relentless Arsenal schedule had left him shattered, yet he keeps delivering.
Completing the extension would secure one of the side’s most important figures through his prime years, at a time when Bukayo Saka’s long-term injury has already forced the club to think about reinforcements. Arsenal’s long-term project remains centred on keeping the core of the current squad together.
Author opinion
A pay rise to roughly £350,000 a week is steep, but Rice has earned it. Few players at the club cover as much ground or influence both boxes the way he does, and locking him in until well beyond 2028 removes a big question mark before it can become a distraction. If the December talks go as planned, this will be one of the easiest bits of business Arsenal do all season.