Michael Owen praises Liverpool and Arsenal for their transfer business, favoring them over Man City
The duo are leading their respective sides’ title charges this season, both in the hope of preventing Manchester City from retaining their crown. Rice has hit the ground running at the Emirates Stadium since joining the Gunners from West Ham in a deal worth £105million.
The England international has injected quality and composure into the Arsenal midfield, and his winning mentality has quickly rubbed off on his teammates. The Gunners believe that Rice is capable of captaining the club one day, in the same way that Van Dijk worked his way up the ranks in the Liverpool dressing room since joining the club from Southampton in 2018.
“Declan cost a lot of money, but it was probably the safest bet you were going to get. He’s mentally very, very straightforward.
Talented player. He has a history of playing and no injuries.
He was used to the Premier League. He didn’t have to move, in terms of location and family.
Very, very few question marks. There was very little risk with Rice, he was always going to give you 8 or 9 out of 10.
“Virgil van Dijk, of course, has a few question marks about him as well. He had a period of time in the Premier League and we had seen him.
He has exceeded anything that anybody could have expected. I would have them first and second.”
Rice has shone at Arsenal since his £105m move, slotted seamlessly into Arteta’s system this season, breaking down countless threatening attacks and driving possession forwards for his side to put them firmly in the title conversation.
