Pundit Ian Wright claims Arsenal “robbed” West Ham United by signing Declan Rice over the summer transfer window for a fee of £105 million.
The Three Lions international has been in sensational form since joining the North-London club. Rice has taken up a key role in Arteta’s side in a short space of time.
The midfielder was linked with lots of club, but Arsenal made him a priority this summer. Manchester City tried hard to hijack the deal, but Gunners won the race and broke their trasfer record for Rice.
After Rice joined Arsenal this summer, Arteta said :-
“I see him like a lighthouse.
“He will light [up] the others and improve the others, and make the team better. The way he talks, the ambition he has and the passion for the game is exactly what we need.”
Wright claims Arsenal paid below Rice’s market value
Formet Arsenal man Ian Wright claims Arsenal paid Declan Rice’s market value over the summer transfer window.
Speaking on the Whitty House, Wright said :-
“It’s the physicality and fluidity of him [Rice]. He looks strong, we just look different with him. I love Martin [Odegaard] and he’s our captain and I’m very happy, absolutely delighted with that.
“But when you have a player whose eight or nine out of ten every week, leading by example with everything that he does… you can’t help but think, ‘that guy is a captain’. That guy is a captain in the way he’s playing. And I’m not being biased or anything, but I was speaking to a couple of West Ham fans recently, and I wind them up all the time.
“I said, ‘I feel like we robbed you, I feel like we should give you an extra £20million. I’m going to give you an extra £20million because it’s making me feel guilty that we’ve only got him for £100million’. Since Declan Rice really kicked on with West Ham and got into the England squad, I cannot remember him having a bad game. Every single game he’s doing something of note, he’s affecting the game. I think, without a doubt, he’s the major difference for us this season.”
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