Rio Ferdinand has lavished praise on Arsenal star and claims the club’s record signing has ‘fitted like a glove’ into Mikel Arteta’s side.
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Eyebrows were raised when the Gunners smashed their transfer record and spent £105million on the former West Ham skipper.
Rice’s impact and influence on a team that finished as runners-up to Manchester City last season has been instantaneous, however.
The 24-year-old followed up his match-winning performance against Manchester United prior to the international break with another commanding display at the heart of Arsenal’s midfield in Sunday’s win at struggling Everton.
Such has been the seamless way in which Rice has slotted in to the Gunners’ engine room, that the chatter around his transfer fee has died down which represents a surefire sign of his form, according to Ferdinand.
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‘There was a lot said about Declan Rice by the way and his transfer and the price of it at the beginning of the season,’ Ferdinand, who cost Manchester United what was then a British transfer record of £29m when he joined from Leeds United in the summer of 2002.
‘There’s very much less said about it right now and that tells you this guy is playing at a very good level, he’s operating at a high level and that’s testament to him.
‘When you go for a high fee that’s all that’s mentioned when it’s not going well or you’re mediocre.
‘But when it’s going well people don’t even mention it. So I’m gauging his performances just judged off of that.
‘Forget the eye test, people are not chatting about £100million now.
‘He’s kind of fitted in like a glove and added a bit more steel and security and calmness to that team.’
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