"He'll join Arsenal" – Gabriel Agbonlahor makes incredible transfer claim on 24-year-old Chelsea target

Former Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor has claimed that Chelsea target and West Ham United captain Declan Rice will join Arsenal in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Rice, 24, has emerged as a hot topic in the past couple of months with his contract set to expire this June. He was rumored to join Mikel Arteta's side last month amid interest from Chelsea and Manchester City.

A tireless presence at the center of the park, the 39-cap England star is considered to be one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League. He has helped the Hammers register sixth and seventh-placed finishes during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons owing to his boundless energy, tackling prowess and passing range.

Speaking on talkSPORT, Agbonlahor shared his thoughts on Rice's future amid increasing interest from Chelsea and Arsenal. He elaborated:

"I think he would rather go to Chelsea maybe because he was there as a kid, but he got let go. You've got Enzo Fernandez there, that they've just signed. They've got a lot of midfielders, and the way Arsenal are playing at the moment, he might look at the project under [Mikel] Arteta and think 'Why not?'"

Providing insight into Rice's thought process, Agbonlahor added:

"'I could go in there, Jorginho isn't going to be playing much, Thomas Partey is always injured.' Declan Rice gets into that side, he keeps his place in the starting lineup, he probably keeps those two players out next season. So, I think he will join Arsenal."

Overall, the UEFA Euro 2020 finalist has scored 12 goals and laid out 12 assists in 225 appearances across all competitions for West Ham.

Arsenal and Chelsea receive transfer boost as crucial target tipped to leave current club

Speaking to TyC Sports, Carlos Mac Allister dropped a hint that his son, Alexis, could depart Brighton & Hove Albion in the future. He said:

"He is very well in the club. We all know that in July, there will be possibilities to be able to leave. But prior to the World Cup, Alexis renewed his contract so that the club also has the opportunity of an important transfer, so that a lot can reach Brighton. It is the idea."

Mac Allister, 24, has has popped up on Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool's radar due to his recent outings for both Brighton and Argentina. He has registered 15 goals and six assists in 94 games for his club so far.