Ex-West Ham striker Andy Carroll believes Declan Rice should choose Arsenal if he opts to leave the London Stadium this summer.

The Hammers captain has been heavily linked with the Gunners, along with Chelsea and Manchester United, and Carroll says a move to the Emirates would be the right decision for the midfielder:

“I can’t really see Declan Rice leaving the Premier League. West Ham aren’t doing great at the moment but Declan loves West Ham. I was at the club with him when he was a kid coming through – he is a great guy and a great player. We all know he needs to go to a top club. I can’t see him going outside of England, but he should go to a top-three or top-two club.”

“I’d like to see Declan at Arsenal, to be honest – I’m not an Arsenal fan but I like the way they’re playing at the minute. The way Mikel Arteta has them playing and the young lads coming through – you see the team and the average age is incredible.”

Considering how the campaign has gone for West Ham, it seems more and more inevitable that Rice will part ways with the London club at the end of the season.

The 24-year-old’s price tag will depend on whether the Irons stay up but, if they do retain their top-flight status, you can’t see them accepting an offer below the £100m mark.

Whether Arsenal would be prepared to pay such an amount, it is up for debate. The Gunners’ current transfer record stands at £72m, so they would have to smash that figure if they are looking to sign West Ham’s talisman.