The Gunners reportedly paid £100million up front, plus bonuses, to sign the England international from West Ham.
Arsenal enjoyed an outstanding season last term, but sadly fell just short of the Premier League title.
The Gunners have been shaping up to try for the title once again, as well as returning to the Champions League.
‘Will run all day’
Rice, arguably one of the best midfielders in the world, is a significant addition to Mikel Arteta’s ranks.
And Gary Lineker, writing in The Sun, has waxed lyrical about the 24-year-old ace.
“A lot of players who move for big money struggle to cope with their price tag,” he began.
“But I don’t think that’ll be the case with ex-West Ham skipper Declan Rice.
“He is an exceptional player — a holding midfielder but also far more than that.
“Rice is a real leader, who will run all day, a player who can break the lines and make things happen with the ball at his feet.
“Of course, £105million is a massive fee but he will not have the same pressure as a forward player who moves for big money because they are constantly judged on their scoring record.
“I’d like to see Rice add more goals to his game but nobody is expecting that of him.”Arsenal have made one of the biggest signings of the summer transfer window in Declan Rice.
The Gunners reportedly paid £100million up front, plus bonuses, to sign the England international from West Ham.
Arsenal enjoyed an outstanding season last term, but sadly fell just short of the Premier League title.
Arsenal FC v AS Monaco: Emirates Cup
Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images
The Gunners have been shaping up to try for the title once again, as well as returning to the Champions League.
‘Will run all day’
Rice, arguably one of the best midfielders in the world, is a significant addition to Mikel Arteta’s ranks.
And Gary Lineker, writing in The Sun, has waxed lyrical about the 24-year-old ace.
“A lot of players who move for big money struggle to cope with their price tag,” he began.
“But I don’t think that’ll be the case with ex-West Ham skipper Declan Rice.
“He is an exceptional player — a holding midfielder but also far more than that.
“Rice is a real leader, who will run all day, a player who can break the lines and make things happen with the ball at his feet.
“Of course, £105million is a massive fee but he will not have the same pressure as a forward player who moves for big money because they are constantly judged on their scoring record.
“I’d like to see Rice add more goals to his game but nobody is expecting that of him.”
Our view
Rice is a world-class player and it’ll be exciting to see how he fares now he’s moved to a Champions League and title-challenging club.
With such a hefty price tag, the pressure will certainly be on. More so than if he had moved for eight figures. However, Rice is a resilient player with high mental strength.
The player has already admitted he’s learning so much more under Arteta at Arsenal. So it’ll be interesting to see just how much his game develops.
With Manchester City getting stronger, the Gunners will need to be at their absolute best to challenge them for the title. And Rice will surely play a big part in the chase.
0 Comments