Declan Rice’s move away from West Ham United has always felt like a matter of when, not if – and a new video of the midfielder with Arsenal legend Ian Wright and Bukayo Saka has left fans convinced he will be moving to the Gunners.
Reports emerged in the January transfer window that Rice was a top target for manager Mikel Arteta and that the north London side were optimistic that they could beat rival suitors to his signature.
Rice was also apparently open to the move and if Arteta were to win the Premier League this year, the prospect of playing in the Champions League for the English champions might be too good to turn down.
Ian Wright is a Rice man
Rice’s leadership qualities along with his ability on the ball would bring important attributes to the midfield of any team, but he has been criticised lately for not weighing in with enough goals or assists.
Roy Keane is one individual who holds that opinion, with him and Wright arguing about Rice’s potential ceiling when West Ham played Manchester United in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
“He has first got to focus on West Ham and doing well for the rest of the season, but I don’t think he has been great this season,” Keane said on ITV, perFootball.London. “I don’t think he has kicked on for all the talk there has been about him – he needs to do a lot more.
“He doesn’t score enough goals or get enough assists. I have been a fan of him, he is always fit, but I just want a little bit more from him. There is talk of him leaving for big money and competing with teams for trophies, and he needs to do a lot more, it is as simple as that.”
However, Wright did not agree with his fellow pundit’s opinion, with the former Arsenal striker defending Rice.
“I think it is a bit harsh,” Wright said in response. “He had a good World Cup and yes, he is playing in a team that is not great – and of course him being a focal point he is going to get a lot of attention.
“But I do feel as though he is ready to go to that next level because I think he is one of our best.”
New video of Rice, Saka and Wright emerges
And now, a new video has emerged from the England training camp and it has left Arsenal fans convinced that agents Saka and Wright are trying to lure the West Ham captain to the Emirates.
The trio and Luke Shaw can be seen having a conversation together on Wright’s TikTok before Rice then embraces the Match of the Day man.
Saka is bouncing up and down like a kid on Christmas Day next to the pair, clearly ecstatic about something.
Watch:Rice, Saka and Wright loving life together
He’s already an Arsenal player man pic.twitter.com/CWBBOdaum7
— 🌅 (@armzzotf) March 22, 2023
Fans react to new video
And Arsenal fans think the reaction of all three men might be because there is a new addition coming to north London in the summer.
Given Arteta’s long-standing interest in the player and Wright’s comments, might there have been a conversation to convince Rice of a summer move?
Time will tell, but a midfield of Thomas Partey, Martin Odegaard and Rice could dominate a lot of teams in the league next season.