Declan Rice hits back at Gary Neville dig amid Patrick Vieira Arsenal comparison
Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has openly expressed his desire to attain a level of performance akin to that of Patrick Vieira in the coming years.
During the recent summer transfer window, Rice garnered interest from numerous European powerhouses, including Bayern Munich, Manchester City, and Manchester United.
Despite these options, the England international opted to join Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, a significant achievement for Arsenal’s sporting director Edu and manager Mikel Arteta.
Since his arrival, Rice has made a strong impression in north London, delivering impressive performances in midfield, culminating in him being awarded the club’s Player of the Month for August.
Looking ahead, the 24-year-old has set ambitious goals for his development, stating his aspiration to someday reach the legendary status of Arsenal icon Vieira.
In an interview with FourFourTwo magazine about his objectives, Rice stated, “Vieira. It’s a big challenge, but I would love to reach that level.”
Declan Rice’s recent remarks could be seen as a response to criticism from Manchester United legend Gary Neville regarding his hefty £105 million price tag.
Neville, speaking on Sky Sports last month, expressed his opinion that a player with such a significant price tag should be contributing with goals and assists in the attacking areas of the pitch.
He also noted that the valuation of midfield players has evolved significantly in the last six months.
Neville said: “For £100million I think you want goals and assists at the top end of the pitch sorting out, but the last six months has completely changed the perception of midfielder players’ values.
“You mention Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira, personally they are the two best midfield players that we have seen in British football and I don’t think Declan Rice is in that category.”
Declan Rice hits back at Gary Neville dig amid Patrick Vieira Arsenal comparison
