Declan Rice had been a standout performer for West Ham this season as he guide his side to the tenth place finish in the Premier league, leading to speculations over his future. Arsenal may hunt down this Englishman in the summer window because the manager Manuel Pellegrini & the club board is unsure whether or not Rice will continue to wear the hammer’s shirt in future. Pellegrini once said, “It is impossible, I cannot know the future,”
“He is, of course, a player who has had a brilliant season, who is 20 years old and an English player who has a lot of qualities.”
“Maybe some of the big teams, or all of them, will want him. But that is one thing – the other is whether he will stay here or he goes, and I cannot say at this moment.”
The Chilean clearly had a successful season with the club and this is the next best season West Ham went through after almost two seasons in a relegation avoiding battle. And Rice surely made his mark to reconstruct the club’s high hopes in seasons to come. But it is of course unknown whether he will be part of the that change of faith Journey.
Former Arsenal player & now pundit Simon Robson believes the Gunners have a trump card in hand if they manage to get this homegrown talent in their ranks. According to him, Arsenal have huge benefits securing Rice’s signature because of his maturity in this age added by the intensity & work rate he makes as a complete box to box midfielder.
“I think Unai Emery will be looking for a holding midfield player,” Robson told ESPN FC.
“I certainly do not think that he is happy with Elneny, Xhaka I don’t think does the job particularly well even though he is a good passer of the ball, and Guendouzi is still a young player.”
“So that is why I think that Declan Rice would be a good addition to Arsenal’s squad.”
He has had a good season at West Ham. Is he a good passer of the ball? Well, I think he is very safe with his passing but he does read the game really well and he is a good athlete and he seems to be a good character.
“So I would put that signing as a hit for Arsenal as a holding midfield player.
“I would have him alongside Lucas Torreira. He is a good player who does most thinks required form a holding midfield player really well so Rice could play alongside him because it looks like Emery wants to play two holding midfield players.”
“When you have got the likes of Mesut Ozil, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Alexandre Lacazette up front, you need that protection in midfield and he would provide that.”
One thing that is suggestible that bringing in Rice can turn out to an overload in the midfield region but yes, Arsenal can sort that out by removing some of their players in that specific region in the summer window. Elneny is the likely customer that should go out but following Xhaka’s passing qualities & Torreira’s defensive attributes, it will be challenging for Rice to settle in. Most probably Guendouzi would be used as a super sub in a number of games. But Rice’s introduction in the squad will surely put Arsenal in the front foot to look for even greater goals than this past season.
