Jamie Carragher hails Declan Rice as ‘the most influential player in the Premier League’, as he compares the Arsenal star to Roy Keane and likens his £105m move to one of Liverpool’s greatest signings

• Declan Rice has enjoyed a stunning start at Arsenal following his £105m move
• Jamie Carragher feels he’s currently the most influential Premier League player
• It will do Arsenal no harm at all to have Arteta out of sight at Villa Park – It’s All Kicking Off

Jamie Carragher believes Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has been the Premier League’s most influential player this season.

Rice moved to the Emirates from West Ham for a staggering £105m in the summer, but has quickly settled into life in north London to guide Mikel Arteta’s men to the top of the table.

He has already popped up with three crucial late goals against Manchester United, Chelsea and Luton, with the latter strike sealing a dramatic 4-3 win on Tuesday night. Having already produced a number of memorable moments in an Arsenal shirt, Carragher has claimed Rice has proven to be worth every penny and feels he has similar qualities to former Manchester United captain Roy Keane.

‘Declan Rice, at £105 million, is a bargain for Arsenal,’ Carragher wrote in his weekly column for The Telegraph.

‘I feel the same way about Rice that I felt about Roy Keane when he joined Manchester United for a British record fee in 1993, and Alan Shearer when he joined Newcastle United in 1996.

Jamie Carragher feels Declan Rice is the most influential player in the Premier League

Carragher has likened Rice to former Manchester United captain Roy Keane (centre)

Carragher has claimed Arsenal signing Rice for £105m has proved to be a bargain

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‘He has been probably the most influential player in the Premier League this season and, every time I watch him, he reminds me of Keane. He has that same presence, and he has a passing ability that is incredibly underrated.’

In recent seasons, Manchester City’s Rodri has been the benchmark when it comes to holding midfielders in Europe.

The Spaniard was an almost ever-present in the City side that won the Treble last season and was the match-winner in the Champions League final against Inter Milan. But Carragher has revealed he would prefer to play alongside Rice. 

‘There is no bigger compliment I can give to Rice than this: I would rather have him in my team than Rodri,’ Carragher continued.

‘The Manchester City midfielder has been arguably the best player in the Treble-winning side, alongside Erling Haaland and Bernardo Silva, and he scored the winner in the Champions League final. He is a brilliant player, but I would still rather have Rice.’

Rice is only a matter of months into his Arsenal career, but Carragher has tipped him to go on to lead the side and become a club legend.

He has also backed the 24-year-old to transform the Gunners like Virgil van Dijk took Liverpool to the next level when he moved to Anfield in 2018.

The Reds have won every major trophy available since Van Dijk’s arrival, with the Dutchman proving himself to be one of the club’s greatest signings despite initial questions about his £75m transfer fee. 

Carragher has said he would rather have Rice in his team over Manchester City’s Rodri

Carragher feels Rice could prove to be as important to Arsenal as Virgil van Dijk has been to Liverpool

Carragher sees Rice in a similar light, and insists he could be the difference-maker in Arsenal’s search for their first title since 2004.

Carragher added: ‘As was always the case with Steven Gerrard at Liverpool, it feels inevitable that Rice will one day captain Arsenal.

‘I believe we will be talking about him as an Arsenal great in seven or eight years, and that his £105 million fee will look like a snip. Ultimately, he could be for Arsenal what Virgil van Dijk has been for Liverpool. Van Dijk cost £75 million but, after everything he has achieved at Anfield, that fee is rightly regarded as a bargain. 

‘With him in their team, Arsenal have a player who will become a club legend — and a man who could bring the Premier League title back to north London.’

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