‘A bargain’… Jamie Carragher says Arsenal have made a signing that’s similar to Virgil van Dijk

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We’re heading towards the business end of the Premier League season now, and enough time has passed to christen a Signing of the Season.

Indeed, all of the summer arrivals have had plenty of time to bed in now and prove their worth.

The likes of James Maddison, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai could all be contenders for the Signing of the Season, but perhaps the best of the bunch has been Declan Rice.

The England international has proven to be a truly transformative signing since joining Arsenal from West Ham in the summer, and writing in his column for The Telegraph, Jamie Carragher has been full of praise for the midfielder.

Indeed, Carragher says that Rice has already made his £105m transfer fee look like an absolute bargain, comparing the deal to the Virgil van Dijk signing at Liverpool all those years ago.

Jamie Carragher compared Declan Rice to Virgil van Dijk

Carragher shared his verdict on this signing.

“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 wrote.

“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.

“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.”

Brilliant

To call any £105m player is absolutely ridiculous, but the fact that you can even have this conversation about Rice is a testament to how good he’s been since joining Arsenal.

The midfielder has taken his game and his team to another level since arriving in north London, and, as Carragher says, if Arsenal win the league Rice will deserve a lot of credit.

If the Gunners do end this season as champions, don’t be shocked if Rice wins the Player of the Year award.