Arsenal’s Declan Rice makes honest admission over £105m transfer from West Ham
Arsenal shelled out a club record fee of £105million to sign Declan Rice from West Ham in the summer after the England midfielder had led the Hammers to the Europa Conference League trophy
Declan Rice admitted he found it difficult to accept he was worth his £105m price tag.
But Rice now looks worth every penny because he has adapted so well to the pressure and expectation levels for club and country. England midfielder Rice, 24, has been a star performer at a World Cup, won a European trophy with West Ham and is settling to life quickly at Arsenal following his mega-money summer transfer.
It took his England team-mate Jack Grealish a year to fulfil his potential at Manchester City after his £100m move but Rice has not had such problems. Rice said: “When the transfer was going through I was very nervous because of the price tag.
“It’s natural to think about that. You’re a human being bought for £105m, it doesn’t feel very normal. But that was because of what I’d done at West Ham, what they valued me at. When I signed for Arsenal, I just thought I just need to be Declan Rice, be myself, don’t be any different, everything will go smoothly.
“It’s £100m, it’s a lot of money, I could understand the pressure that comes with it. Not only the pressure you put on yourself but there’s an expectation of being bought for that much money we need to see performances straight away.
“I want to re-pay the club back straight away, they have invested a lot of money in me, I need to prove why I can go there and change things.
“I can see why Jack struggled maybe at the start – mentally. He was a £100m footballer but as he wasn’t playing as much, it was probably a bit different for him. Now he’s flying and it’s the same for me.”
Rice looks a Rolls Royce of a midfielder and yet he admits that he found it a huge test at first but now sees areas of his game where he can improve.
“You never want to stay stale as a footballer,” said Rice. “You’re always looking to improve, always looking to get better. I still feel there’s so many more levels I can get to. It’s just about being eager to learn, practising on the training pitch, and always listening as well.
“The main one with me at Arsenal is I’m playing in a slightly different role. There’s a lot of talk over whether I can play higher up the pitch as well. I’m kind of new to it in a way. At Arsenal, we probably see a lot more of the ball so it’s about being a bit more aggressive.”
Rice will win his 48th cap for England against North Macedonia, is closing in on his half century and here is a player who looks very comfortable in his own skin.
Rice added: “I know. I know. You can see what it means as I am a bit speechless to be honest. World Cup winners, legends of the game. People who will be remembered forever. I want to keep playing for as long as possible.
“I have to give a bit of credit to myself because when you get picked for England it is now just you get picked for it. You have to work for it. You have to earn it.
“I have been here now with England since 2019 and I have been in most squads. I need to keep working but those England caps are really special. They are the pinnacle and when I get to 50, I am going to aim for 100.”
