Arteta Confirms Declan Rice Set for Record £350k Arsenal Contract

Mikel Arteta has given Arsenal fans a firm update on Declan Rice’s contract situation, stating he expects the midfielder to put pen to paper on a new deal soon. The move would make Rice the club’s highest-paid player on a reported £350,000-per-week package.

Rice currently sits in the final two years of the deal he signed upon joining from West Ham United in 2023, with a club option for a further year taking it to 2029. Arsenal have treated a fresh agreement as a priority this season, and reports from Fabrizio Romano in October suggested a breakthrough was close.

Speaking in his pre-Liverpool press conference, Arteta addressed the matter directly when asked whether he anticipated a resolution. “Yes, my feeling is that he is very happy here,” he said, as quoted by The Mirror.

“Every conversation I have with him, he wants to continue here for the long term and it will be a matter of time when we resolve that.”

What the New Deal Means for Rice’s Status

Rice presently earns £260,000 a week according to Capology figures. A jump to £350k would push him past Bukayo Saka, who signed for £300k per week back in February and currently holds the title of Arsenal’s top earner.

A basic wage of £350,000 weekly, excluding bonuses, would hand Rice the outright record for Arsenal’s highest-paid player in history. Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang previously reached the same £350k figure, though their packages reportedly carried performance add-ons rather than a flat basic rate.

The numbers back up the price tag. Rice has racked up 57 goal contributions in 170 appearances for the club, comprising 22 goals and 35 assists, and he has already provided four assists across eight Premier League outings in the 2026-27 campaign.

A Model of Reliability

Availability has been a defining trait of Rice’s Arsenal career. He missed only two Premier League matches during the 2025-26 title-winning season, and across club and country since arriving in North London, he has sat out just five games through injury.

Beyond durability, Rice has expanded his role under Arteta, operating effectively as a number six, a number eight, and even at right-back when called upon. He has been named Arsenal’s Player of the Season in each of the last two campaigns, and he placed 15th in the voting for the 2026 men’s Ballon d’Or.

Other Arsenal Contracts on the Horizon

Rice is one of nine Arsenal players whose contracts expire in the summer of 2028. Once his renewal is finalized, sporting director Andrea Berta is expected to shift focus toward other key figures in the squad.

Goalkeeper David Raya, right-back Jurrien Timber, and captain Martin Odegaard are all candidates for fresh terms. Ben White could also push for a new deal following an injury-free and productive start to the season.

Mikel Merino and Kai Havertz are also facing the prospect of leaving for free within the next two years. Neither situation is settled, with Merino’s role as a squad option and Havertz’s fluctuating form and fitness record both factors in play.

Stay with TipsGG for continued coverage of Arsenal’s contract moves this season.