After years of speculation, the midfielder is finally likely to leave West Ham this summer.
Declan Rice cemented his West Ham legend by helping his childhood side win the Europa League against Fiorentina in early June, but it now looks like that victory night in Prague will prove inevitable for the midfielder's last appearance.
Contrary to last season's Premier League title fight, the Gunners look set to be champions. The third bid they made on Tuesday night was an initial £100 million plus a £5 million surcharge, and City have made it clear they are unwilling to match, leaving room for Arsenal to win the title.
This price tag is a cause for attention, so is Rice really a player worth spending nine figures?
"A player worth £100 million"
It's hard not to feel sorry for David Moyes.
Over the past few seasons, he has had to answer questions frequently about Rice's future. However, when asked about Rice's sky-high price, Moyes' attitude has been consistent. For the Hammers, either spend more than £100 million or nothing. Recently, when asked if the midfielder was worth that much money, he replied simply: "Yes." ”
He added: "I think I've said everything about Declan. He's a very important player for West Ham, he's someone we value very much and you can see what he means to the team. He is a very nice individual and we enjoyed having him. ”
Just a few days ago, Moyes also claimed that Rice's final transfer fee would easily exceed the UK record £106 million that Chelsea spent on Enzo Fernandez in January. "There is no doubt that Declan will be a top player. If he leaves West Ham he will set a UK transfer record," he said.
Maybe it's time for Les to leave
Although Moyes wants his captain to stay, all indications are that Rice will leave this summer.
The West Ham boss also acknowledged this in May, telling reporters: "We want him to stay, we want him to be a West Ham player, but we know that may not be the case, this is one of those cases. Our plan was for Dirk to come here, but we were also fully aware that there was a good chance we wouldn't have him. ”
Sporting director Mark Noble echoed the same sentiment in February. "Dirk is no exception, Dirk will always be hailed as a fantastic player, a top figure at West Ham, but I don't think anyone would be jealous of him wanting to win something," he said.
Rice himself admits that he wants to fight for important trophies. "I want to play 100 per cent in the Champions League, I've been saying that for the last two or three years, I've been playing well for my club and I feel like I really want to keep working hard. I understand my friends, they are playing in the Champions League and competing for important trophies. You can only get one career, and at the end you'll want to look back at what you've won and the most important tournaments you've played. ”
Not everyone is convinced
Of course, Rice's talent was not universally appreciated. The news that West Ham will be contributing £120 million this summer has caused widespread confusion among fans and experts, even with managers involved.
Brentford manager Thomas Frank said last month that Ivan Tony would be worth more than Rice in the current market, while Arsenal legend Gilberto Silva also questioned his worth.
"Usually you see prices like this for strikers, not midfielders. While the quality of the players is unquestionable, it feels quite high, but it does feel like a very high price," he said.
Supporters outside the West Ham United bubble have similar skepticism about Rice, which may be a product of the role he plays. He's vital to the team, but if you don't know what you're looking for, he's not going to be as good.
Play a vital role
So, what is Rice's role?
During his time at West Ham United and England, he usually played as a double back in a 4-2-3-1 formation or as the bottom player in a three-midfield formation.
His main responsibility when in possession is to provide extra protection to his defenders, and when his team has the ball, he is the first stop to launch an attack, whether through his passing or dribbling ability.
Players of this pattern are hard to find – which is why Arsenal are so eager to sign Rice on a long-term contract this summer. It took City a long time to wean themselves off Fernandinho completely, while Rodri struggled to fill the void left by his absence. Elsewhere, Fabinho, a key figure in Liverpool, was once described by Pep Linders as a "beacon" of Jurgen Kloop's "organised chaos".
Casemiro is another player of this kind who has been absolutely transformative for Manchester United this season, and it's no surprise that the decline of Leeds United and Leicester City has coincided with the sale of Calvin Phillips and Wilfred Ndidi's poor form.
Defensive midfielders hold teams together, they are the lubricant in the gears, the messengers of stability, no wonder they are so hard to find.
Fantastic passer
In recent seasons, Rice's ability to drive with the ball has improved significantly. Early in his career, when the hype train began to leave the station, he was criticized for being too safe in possession of the ball – and the statistics confirm that.
In Rice's groundbreaking 2017-18 season, he made just 2.26 progressive passes per 90 minutes in the Premier League. With each season that followed, his prequel improved a lot. That number peaked in 2021-22, when Rice averaged an impressive 7.25 progressive passes per 90 minutes — a number that's only slightly down this season.
Rice has a variety of passing methods, from finding a West Ham winger with a long pass with both feet to passing the ball to a striker. He is a prolific playmaker who combines game awareness and technical prowess to make him the perfect backcourt creator.
A battering ram on the ball
Just as his passing has improved over the years, Rice is now better at breaking through opponents with the ball at his feet.
In the aforementioned debut season in the Premier League, Rice made 1.13 progressive dribbles (dribbling 10 yards or more) every 90 minutes, and in his recent campaign he managed almost twice as many people.
There was a similar improvement in the number of catches Rice completed, as well as in the number of catches that went into the final third. This newfound dribbling ability is a very welcome addition to his game, as it provides an antidote when the team looks to stop his short passes with a targeted pressing system.
On a football field, there's nothing more aesthetically pleasing than a physically good midfielder breaking through the staring player before taking big strides to energize the pitch, and that's what you get for a good buck.
Add goals to his game
Quietly, but Rice could also just add goals in his game. Now, he has scored five goals in consecutive seasons, which is quite an impressive result considering how deep he has been for most of the time.
Back in October, Rice scored the crucial equaliser against Southampton, cleverly scoring a two-on-one goal before shooting past Gavin Bazunu. More recently, he launched a counter-attack against Leeds United, arriving at the back post at the right time to receive a cross from Jarrod Bowen and a side-footed volley. He also excelled internationally, opening the scoring for England against Italy.
If he can continue to increase his goals, Rice may have to reposition himself as a well-rounded midfielder.
An incredible experience for his age
It feels like Rice has been debuting for a long time, but he is only 24 years old.
Although his career is still in its infancy, he has made over 200 appearances in the Premier League and has experience in major competitions for club and country.
He has also captained West Ham United since his retirement last summer. Noble left big holes in the Hammers' locker room, but Rice led the club with grace and dignity, stepping up after poor performances when needed and keeping players and fans connected.
As a result, this summer's club has signed players who not only have most of the game time, but also have enough perseverance to take on the challenge of representing Europe's top teams.
Homegrown player tax
Without a doubt, Rice is the best defensive midfielder at a top club this summer. The more relevant question is: Why is his valuation so high, and is he worth ruining?
The reason why West Ham's valuation has risen so sharply is that he is British, and it is widely believed that the English player is "overhyped", but the real reasons for its inflated value are more complex.
Thanks to a record-breaking broadcast deal, Premier League clubs' spending power dwarfs their European counterparts. Their financial prowess means that even lesser-known teams can offer jaw-dropping salaries, allowing them to pick the best talent in the world.
However, while some clubs may be reluctant to do so, the Premier League's homegrown rules mean they must retain core players trained in England. As a result, the best English players like Rice are like gold dust, everyone wants them, but they have to pay a certain premium to get them.