Declan Rice has praised Jorginho following the player's performance for Arsenal against West Ham United.
The midfielder started in Thomas Partey 's absence due to injury, playing the full 90 minutes in a Premier League match for the first time since the North London Derby two and a half months ago. Jorginho did start the Gunners' previous league match against Nottingham Forest, but Mikel Arteta substituted the player at half-time because of his first-half yellow card.
Then, he was an unused substitute during the 5-1 win over Sporting in the Champions League but came back into the team at West Ham and was as solid as ever. Rice acknowledged that on Sunday, seemingly ranking Jorginho ahead of even Bukayo Saka.
"The best" is what he dubbed his midfield partner after commenting on an Instagram post - which he also liked - that Jorginho shared after the match. Jurrien Timber, who, like his teammates, also played the entire game, commented with two clapping hands emojis.
Jorginho has made nine appearances across all competitions, six of which have been starts, and all but two have come in matches the Gunners have won. One was the 0-0 draw away at Atalanta, with the other being the 1-0 defeat away to Newcastle United.
With the player set to enter the final six months of his contract in January, the public show of support on social media suggests they would prefer the club to extend his deal rather than let Jorginho leave at the end of this season. More pressingly, from the start of next year, the Italy international can negotiate and agree a pre-contract to join an overseas club at the beginning of July.
However, judging by last season, any announcement may only come in the season's final few weeks. The club announced Jorginho's last one-year extension in May, with just two games remaining.
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