{"id":632455,"date":"2023-12-09T06:05:28","date_gmt":"2023-12-09T11:05:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/?p=632455"},"modified":"2023-12-09T06:05:28","modified_gmt":"2023-12-09T11:05:28","slug":"declan-rice-arsenal-most-valuable-player","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2023\/12\/09\/declan-rice-arsenal-most-valuable-player\/","title":{"rendered":"Declan Rice Is Already Arsenal\u2019s Most Valuable Player – Opinion"},"content":{"rendered":"

When Declan Rice headed in Arsenal\u2019s last-second winner against Luton, he not only proved that the Gunners are the comeback kings of the Premier League this season, having won more points (nine) with injury-time goals than any other club in England. He also proved that despite joining the club just a few months ago, he is already their most valuable player.<\/span><\/p>\n

Declan Rice Is Already Arsenal’s MVP<\/span><\/h2>\n

Declan Rice Becomes The Main Man at Arsenal<\/span><\/h3>\n

So well has Rice settled in at The Emirates that in the wake of his latest and so far greatest contribution to a match, Arsenal fans were joking that he will prompt another investigation into the club by the Premier League and the FA on the basis that the Gunners clearly underpaid\u00a0<\/span>West Ham<\/span><\/a>\u00a0for him. Given that Rice is the club’s record signing, at \u00a3105 million, that joke is probably the best indication of how he has adapted so brilliantly to a new team and a weighty price tag.<\/span><\/p>\n

Indeed, it is hard to think of another signing in recent Arsenal history who has settled in so quickly and apparently effortlessly, especially when they have come with a hefty transfer fee. Nicolas Pepe, the Gunners\u2019 previous record signing at\u00a0<\/span>\u00a372 million<\/span><\/a>, finally left the Premier League for Saudi Arabia this summer, having completely underwhelmed in his four seasons in London. Mesut \u00d6zil arrived with great fanfare from Real Madrid but was only ever able to help Arsenal to FA Cup glory rather than inspiring a league title challenge; and even the club\u2019s greatest ever striker and No.10, namely Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp, took several games to settle in.<\/span><\/p>\n

Read More<\/span><\/strong>:\u00a0<\/span>\u2018Things Will Happen\u2019: Arsenal to Rival Bayern Munich in Race to Acquire Dream Declan Rice Partner<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

To find another player who has made such an impact at Arsenal so quickly, to the point that he looks absolutely indispensable almost immediately, you would probably have to go back to Patrick Vieira, Ars\u00e8ne Wenger\u2019s first proper signing, who actually arrived at the club before Wenger did. From his first game for Arsenal, Vieira looked like a real midfield general, and so he proved to be over the next decade. And it is appropriate that Rice evokes memories of the great Frenchman because he already looks like he could be the best Arsenal midfielder since Vieira.<\/span><\/p>\n

Watch<\/strong>: Last Word on Football looks at the biggest problem with your Premier League club<\/p>\n