"He’ll probably go on to be the captain of Arsenal" - Rio Ferdinand gives his take on Declan Rice's move to Gunners
Declan Rice has been tipped to become a future Arsenal captain by Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand.
However, Ferdinand has warned Rice that his £105 million including add-ons move to the Gunners from West Ham United will come with scrutiny. The Red Devils icon told his Vibe with FIVE YouTube channel:
“I think as a character, he’s perfect. Declan knows as well, the knives and forks will be out waiting if things don’t go well immediately. So that’s a different pressure. He’s never had that pressure."
Nevertheless, Ferdinand expects the England international to flourish and sees him wearing the captain's armband in the future:
“They’re the things that will be different for him that he will have to contend with, but I’ve got no doubt that he’ll have an impact at that football club over the years, and he’ll probably go on to be the captain of Arsenal at some point.”
Declan Rice has not only become the north Londoners' club-record signing but also the most expensive British player in history. Mikel Arteta's side were hellbent on luring him to the Emirates and have done so at a hefty fee.
However, the 24-year-old has become one of the Premier League's leading midfielders. He's defensively sound, accomplished on the ball and has added goals to his game. He managed five goals and four assists in 50 games across competitions last season.
Rice's leadership qualities are a massive plus, as he captained West Ham to UEFA Europa Conference League glory last season. He's also a mainstay in Gareth Southgate's England national team, earning 43 caps.
Arsenal's capture of Rice comes after a campaign that saw them challenge Manchester City for the Premier League title. However, Arteta's side fell five points short and lacked leaders in the closing stages of the campaign as their title challenge imploded.
Arsenal's Granit Xhaka expected to leave following Declan Rice's arrival
According to CBS Sports journalist Ben Jacobs, Granit Xhaka is likely to leave Arsenal and join Bayer Leverkusen. The Swiss midfielder is expected to join Xabi Alonso's side in a £21.5 million deal in the coming days.
The Gunners' sale of Xhaka has been put on hold as they have sought to finalise Declan Rice's transfer. The Englishman is now just a medical away from sealing his move to the Emirates.
Xhaka did impress last season in a more advanced role, scoring nine goals and providing seven assists in 47 games across competitions. However, Rice's arrival has jeopardised his place in Arteta's starting lineup.