Declan Rice Says New Arsenal Contract Is Close

Declan Rice says he is close to signing a new contract at Arsenal. The England midfielder spoke ahead of his country's game against Spain, and he said the deal is hopefully on the horizon soon.

A midfielder is the player who works in the centre of the pitch, winning the ball back and passing it on to the attackers. Rice has been one of the names at the heart of Arsenal's side since he arrived from West Ham in 2023, in a deal worth £105 million.

The talks are not new. BBC Sport first reported on 7 October that Rice was set to sign a long-term deal at the Emirates Stadium. More than a month on, the player himself has put a timeline on it, though he did not give a date.

His current contract runs until 2028. A new deal would extend his time at the club well beyond that. It would also make him Arsenal's top earner, alongside Bukayo Saka, the club's winger who is already on that level of pay.

Contract news like this can take a while to settle, and clubs rarely announce a deal until the paperwork is finished. For Arsenal supporters, the clearest message so far is that the player wants to stay and believes the agreement is close.

He was asked about his future while on England duty, and he chose to speak about the deal rather than sidestep it. That is a useful signal, even before the club confirms anything.

For now, the next step is the official announcement from Arsenal. Until then, the update comes from Rice himself, and it points in one direction.