Arsenal club legend Paul Merson [via Twitter] has criticised fans who have bemoaned the price tag of the Gunners’ new star summer signing, former West Ham United captain Declan Rice.
Merson believes that Rice will ‘take Arsenal to the next level’ – indeed, Rice displayed exquisite quality last season, as he helped guide the Hammers to an unprecedented Europa Conference League trophy. Will he be able to achieve success on the European stage with his new club?
What did Paul Merson write on Twitter?
On Merson’s official Twitter account, he wrote: “I hear a lot of Arsenal fans complaining about [the signing of Declan Rice] being a lot of money… if they don’t sign him they still won’t take money off their season tickets so it makes no difference! He will take Arsenal to the next level!!”
Will Declan Rice be a good signing for Arsenal?
For Arsenal, there is arguably no better signing that they could have made this summer than the stunning acquisition of Declan Rice. Not only is he a top-quality defender, his technical ability and range of passing is a joy to behold.
He is a progressive player when both passing and carrying the ball. He is capable of charging through the middle with the ball, but his ball-playing abilities and vision are also top-notch. Moreover, he has also displayed his ability to score goals, as evidenced last season.
He will allow Arsenal to keep the pressure on when recycling possession to a much higher standard than Thomas Partey could – moreover, his wide skillset will allow the Gunners to create chances on a more frequent basis following turnovers in possession.
Additionally, although he is still young at the age of just 24 years old, Rice has displayed excellent leadership qualities and burning desire to win games over the course of his relatively short career. Should he remain at Arsenal for years to come, he could be a brilliant captain in the future for the Gunners.
Of course, his price tag of £105 million is very steep – but for a player of Rice’s quality, he is more than worth his billing.
