Rice joined the Gunners from West Ham United for a club-record fee worth £105million in the summer. Since then, the 24-year-old has become a vital part of Mikel Arteta's squad this season.
The midfielder has scored important goals against Manchester United and more recently Luton Town . For many, his arrival in north London has made the Gunners favourites to pip Manchester City to the Premier League title in May.
Following his dramatic injury-time winner against Luton on Tuesday, Ferdinand has waded in on the recent praise for Rice and insisted that he wanted him to join Manchester United.
Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents FIVE Podcast, he said: "I said it before, Declan Rice, Manchester United, he was the player I would have 100% gone and got because you can argue that there's midfielder with more ability than him, maybe, right, I would argue that it's probably only Jude Bellingham that comes near him in terms of getting into a dressing room and trying to get control of that dressing room and get the respect of the dressing room day in, day two, three, four, straight away.
"Not only with performances and standards and helping with the culture and environment but with the attitude. The ability factor and respect factor that he would go get straight in and I thought he more than anybody Manchester United should have gone and got.
"Even the game yesterday [Tuesday] he scored the winner last minute."
Tomiyasu, Smith Rowe, Vieira - Arsenal injury news and return dates ahead of Aston Villa clash
Ex-England international Ferdinand added: "On form who else is there, Rodri? Yeah. I would definitely say Rice is in with a shout of being the best defensive midfielder at this moment in time, on form. I've been saying how top quality he has been for ages. At West Ham I don't think we knew where his ceiling was."
0 Comments