Record-breaking Arsenal star ‘the perfect signing’ for Real Madrid as Florentino Perez ‘accelerates interest’ – shock report

Real Madrid were hugely impressed with Declan Rice’s performance for Arsenal against Bayern Munich at the Emirates Stadium in the Champions League, according to a Spanish report, and while Los Blancos president Florentino Perez plans to make an attempt to sign the England international midfielder, TEAMtalk can reveal why the Spanish giants will fail.

Arsenal have been on fire this season, and the latest team to get burnt were Bayern Munich, who suffered a 3-1 defeat at the Emirates Stadium in the Champions League on Wednesday evening. The star of the show was Rice, who was a commanding presence in the middle of the park and imposed himself on the game.

Declan Rice was a driving force for Arsenal in midfield, made two great deliveries to Mikel Merino and Cristhian Mosquera, could have scored a goal himself, and made marauding runs into the Bayern penalty box.

According to E-Noticies, Real Madrid chief scout Juni Calafat was at the Emirates Stadium to watch the game, and he was very impressed with Rice.

The report sent by Calafat to Real Madrid about Rice praised the former West Ham United star a lot.

Rice’s ‘tactical intelligence, his ability to stay calm in tense situations and his magnificent ball-handling skills made it clear that he is more than capable of playing for Real Madrid’, according to the report, which has added that the 26-year-old England international midfielder ‘seems like the perfect signing’ for Los Blancos.

The ‘conclusion’ about Rice has ‘accelerated the club’s interest in a talent that could mark an era at the Bernabeu’, with Madrid president Florentino Perez considering ‘that his signing would be strategic both for his immediate performance and for his room for growth’.

Rice has been at Arsenal since 2023 when he joined from West Ham for a club-record fee of £105million (€120m, $139m).

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Arsenal plan regarding Declan Rice – sources

E-Noticies is a Catalan news outlet, so one has to ask how it could get such a vital piece of information about Calafat, Rice and Madrid, given the bitter rivalry between Barcelona and Los Blancos.

There have been reports in Spain about Real Madrid’s interest in Declan Rice, but they are not overly reliable.

Until and unless other reliable media outlets, in Spain or in England, back this claim about Madrid and Rice, for now, one needs to treat this rumour for what it is – a rumour.

And even if Madrid do try to sign Rice, it is unlikely that Arsenal will sell him in the middle of the season or even next summer.

TEAMtalk understands that Arsenal are planning to hold talks with Rice over a new contract.

Our transfer insider, Dean Jones, said on November 26: “There is no mad rush to tie down Rice, but he is one of the most valuable members of the squad and future captain material.

“He was always determined to prove he was a £100 million signing that was worth the money and also to go above and beyond that and establish himself as a centrepiece of the England team too.

“He continues to improve every area of his game, and people that have worked closely to him believe there are more strings to his bow yet to be fully unleashed.

“I expect Rice will stay with Arsenal, and there is not expected to be any problem when it comes to the next contract, but it is not something that Arsenal want to delay for too long because he’s about to enter his prime years and they will want to be absolutely sure of his future.”

Earlier this month, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano said on his YouTube channel: “In Arsenal’s plans, there is also the idea to offer a new contract to Declan Rice.

“So, Arsenal also want to discuss with Rice and offer him a new deal.

“It’s part of the plans, it’s part of the conversations, so let’s follow that situation, because also Declan is going to be one of the names mentioned internally for a new and deserved contract.”

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Meanwhile, sources have told TEAMtalk Liverpool’s stance on Ibrahima Konate after Real Madrid decided to abandon their pursuit of the France international central defender, who is out of contract at the defending Premier League champions at the end of the season.

Real Madrid are considering bringing back a midfielder they sold in the summer of 2025, with Arsenal also keen on him.

And finally, Real Madrid stars have made it clear whether they would like Los Blancos to sack Xabi Alonso as their manager.