Declan Rice has confirmed he is close to signing a new contract with Arsenal. BBC Sport first revealed the midfielder was set to sign a new long-term deal at Emirates Stadium on 7 October, and the 27-year-old, speaking before England's game against Spain on Sunday, said a new contract was "hopefully on the horizon soon".
Rice's current deal expires in 2028, and the former West Ham player is now expected to extend his stay in north London. He joined Arsenal from London Stadium in 2023 in a deal worth £105m, and the new contract will put him alongside Bukayo Saka as the club's top earner.S1
Rice praised the stability of his career, saying he had been "extremely lucky" to play at a consistent level and had always been settled at the clubs he had played for. He said he is grateful for the trust shown by manager Mikel Arteta and the support of his team-mates, adding that he does not have to worry about off-field matters, which makes playing football easier.S1S2
Rice started for England on Thursday night as they beat Croatia 2-1 at Wembley, an evening on which Ballon d'Or winner Harry Kane set a record. Rice felt England could have performed better after beating the same opponents 7-0 in Rijeka last month, saying "we know we've got more gears to go through". The winner of Sunday's game between England and Spain will finish top of their Nations League group and is likely to secure an easier opponent for the quarter-finals in March.S2
