Manchester City's opening bid for Declan Rice has been rejected by West Ham.
The Premier League champions formally entered the running to sign the England international on Monday evening with a bid worth an initial £80m with an extra £10m in add-ons.
Mikel Arteta made the England international is No.1 summer transfer priority as far back as January and the Gunners have long been considered the favourites to land the 24-year-old.
Arsenal are set to submit their third bid this week, their hopes of signing the player now hang in the balance.
It has been widely reported that Rice favours a move to the Gunners, but the chance to play under Pep Guardiola is sure to prove a tempting prospect, especially given the departure if Ilkay Gundogan, confirmed on Monday, opens up a spot in the champions' midfield engine room.
Forme West Ham manager Harry Redknapp, meanwhile, has warned Arsenal and City they could both end up missing out on Declan Rice this summer.
'West Ham are a big club with up to 65,000 fans in the stadium. I can see a future for him with the club,' he told Claret and Hugh.
'If the board were to offer him up to £250k a week and brought in three or four top players that may tempt him to stay where he is despite him wanting Champions League football.
'The Hammers are in Europe and he won his first medal with us last season. I would really love to see the club push to keep him.
'In reality it looks as though he will go to Arsenal as things stand and they do begin to look a very good team to whom he would be a big help.
'I certainly see them as being the main challengers to Man City next season and beyond.
'They are a young and exciting team but I would have thought he would want to speak with Man City.
'However, at the end of it all I want the Hammers to have a right go at keeping him. We are a big club and he could do far worse than to stay where he is.'
Comments