Former Hammer admits tapping up Rice

17 Jul, 2023
written by Sean Whetstone

Former Hammer Ian Wright has revealed he spoke to Declan Rice and convinced him to join Arsenal before the midfielder sealed a move to the club.

Wright, who spent seven years at Arsenal, revealed that he visited the English national team camp ahead of their European qualifying games against Italy and Ukraine back in March where he approached Rice and begged him to join Arsenal in the summer.

 Speaking on Wrighty’s House podcast, the former Arsenal star said, “Everyone was saying when I went to the England squad, I was tapping him up – Yes, I f*cking was! I was! I was literally begging him! I don’t work for the club, I’m an Arsenal fan. I said, ‘Look at you & Saka, how cool you lot look together’. It’s just excitement.”

In 1998, Wright moved to West Ham United for £500,000. He spent fifteen months as a West Ham player, scoring the winner on his debut against Sheffield Wednesday, without reaching the same form he had at Arsenal. During his spell there he made headlines when he vandalised the referee’s dressing room at Upton Park after being sent off during a match against Leeds United. 

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