Carragher claims Arsenal ‘bargain’ is similar to Liverpool star; reveals his three picks for POTY
Jamie Carragher has lauded Arsenal star Declan Rice as the Liverpool legend thinks the midfielder is in contention for the Player of the Year award.
The Gunners paid around £105m to beat Premier League rivals in the race to sign Rice from West Ham United during last year’s summer transfer window.
‘One of the trio can be Premier League champion and Player of the Year…’
Some onlookers questioned Arsenal for paying such a significant fee to land Rice but the midfielder’s performances this season have justified their call to break their club-record fee to sign him.
The 25-year-old has benefited from playing with better players this season and he’s grabbed five goals and seven assists in his 37 appearances across all competitions.
Along with Liverpool and Man City, Arsenal are in the Premier League title fight following seven league wins in a row.
In his column for The Telegraph, Carragher has picked out Rice, Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk and Man City’s Phil Foden as the main contenders for the Premier League Player of the Year award for this season.
‘Liverpool want the quadruple. Manchester City seek another treble. Phil Foden, Virgil van Dijk and Declan Rice can secure themselves a double,’ Carragher told The Telegraph.
‘One of the trio can be a Premier League champion and Player of the Year in 2024.’
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Carragher has also likened Rice to Van Dijk, as both players should be classed as ‘bargains’ for Arsenal and Liverpool.
‘It has taken no time to consider the £105 million Arsenal paid to West Ham in the same way as the £75 million Liverpool paid Southampton for Van Dijk. A bargain,’ Carragher claimed.
‘Rice is the most significant reason for that…’
‘Arsenal are five points worse off than this time last year, and yet they are a better side; more structurally sound and resilient. There is no expectation they will falter as they did at this point 12 months ago. Rice is the most significant reason for that, adding a steeliness to the team’s spine.
‘He is not a holding midfielder. He is a complete midfielder. When Arsenal travel to the Etihad in a fortnight’s time, they will feel they have the equal of City’s Rodri capable of dominating the key midfield battleground.’
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Carragher later argued that Rice ‘will be regarded as one of the most important signings’ in Arsenal’s history if they win the title.
‘If Liverpool were to win the title this season, it will be even sweeter for Van Dijk given everything he has gone through since the last one in 2020,’ Carragher continued.
‘Should Arsenal do it, the signing of Rice will be regarded as one of the most important in the club’s history – the final piece of the jigsaw turning a team of potential into champions.
‘And if City make it four in a row, this will be the year in which Foden stepped up after the prolonged absence of De Bruyne, ensuring that by the end of his career the club’s most decorated player will be one of their own.
‘If I was having a bet, my money would follow my head and be on Foden. Most neutrals and England fans will be hoping for Rice. I don’t need to say what my heart is saying.’
