When Arsenal signed Declan Rice for £100m in the summer of 2023, it sent shockwaves through the game, but it may have actually been a worthy investment after all.
The former West Ham captain was always highly-rated, but even still, the nine-figure sum was seen as a hefty price by some.
Still, Arsenal have gone from strength to strength since Declan Rice joined, and he’s earning more and more plaudits every week.
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From Rice’s ‘cheat code’ set-piece delivery to his increasing proficiency in front of goal, Rice is well and truly a leader and an influential figure in Mikel Arteta’s team now.
After bagging in the 2-0 win over Burnley at the weekend, Rice now has two goals and four assists in all competitions this season, leading to finance expert Kieran Maguire claiming that he was well worth the big transfer fee.
Declan Rice during Arsenal v Crystal Palace - Premier League
Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Champions League qualification pays for Declan Rice transfer
On the latest episode of Beyond the Back Four, Maguire outlined how qualifying for the Champions League is crucial for Arsenal’s revenue stream, and identified Rice as a crucial factor in helping the Gunners achieve that goal year after year.
He said: “Success for Rice is for Arsenal to qualify regularly for the Champions League. Winning the Premier League is for the fans. Players get bonuses for winning title, but the club only gets an extra £3.5m so some club insiders say it’s actually better to finish second.
“But, Rice has been a huge success. Arsenal have gone from missing out on Champions League regularly and commercial income flatlining because sponsors felt it was too big a price for not enough return and exposure. The investment on Rice was spread over lifetime of contract, and they’re now getting a minimum of £40m prize money for qualifying for the Champions League, and there are extra games in the new format so Arsenal are making £6-7m in tickets for each home game.
“It was tricky when Arsenal were only making Europa League and trying to sell hospitality boxes against teams from Cyprus or elsewhere, so they had to sell players. Whereas now, Champions League games sell themselves. That investment in Rice is paying off and it’s still a relatively low overall investment compared to other deals from the likes of Chelsea, Man City, and Liverpool.”
There is even talk of Rice getting a new contract at Arsenal already. Given how their initial investment in him has worked out, that’s hardly surprising.
Arsenal are Premier League champions elect already
After their win over Burnley on Saturday, there are many who think Arsenal have already sealed the Premier League title. Graeme Bailey would be able to get on board with that idea, it seems, as he discussed the Gunners’ dominance in that same episode.
On Rice’s form and the players around him, Bailey said: “He’s more like the West Ham version now, in that he can get forward. Zubimendi’s arrival was key; he was always brought in to be Arsenal’s number 6 and we saw him do it for Spain in the Euros, too. Zubimendi has slotted straight in, and Arsenal’s recruitment is working out well.”
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Meanwhile, Bailey was very impressed with Arsenal’s display at the weekend, and even compared them to one of the most successful Premier League teams of all time.
“They may be without Odegaard, but the whole squad is so deep and we are seeing Rice step up, plus the full-backs are also performing,” Bailey added. “It wasn’t exactly an imperious performance, but it reminded me of a Sir Alex Ferguson Man United performance where they knew they weren’t getting beat once they took the lead. They controlled the game and look like champions elect despite not being out of first gear.”
Arsenal’s squad depth will now be put to the test in the coming days and weeks. Zubimendi will miss the Champions League clash with Slavia Prague this week, while Viktor Gyokeres is thought to be a doubt. It will be interesting to see whether Rice can step up another level and carry the team when he’s called upon.