Paul Merson says £240k-a-week Arsenal player is ‘up there with Rodri’

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Arsenal legend Paul Merson has sung Declan Rice’s praises, likening him to Manchester City star Rodri.

The Gunners icon, writing on Sky Sports, says the 25-year-old has taken Arsenal to “another level” this season.

Rice has been a revelation for the Gunners, improving their midfield – indeed, the whole team – massively.

The £240,000-a-week star delivered another five-star performance in his latest outing as Arsenal ran out 6-0 winners at Sheffield United on Monday night.

Rice scored and registered an assist for the Gunners, netting in the 39th minute and setting up Martin Odegaard for the opener.

Arsenal are currently contesting one of the most exciting title races in recent years, which Merson also spoke about in his Sky Sports column.

“Arsenal will go top on Saturday if they get the job done against Brentford, who have a lot of good players out, so they’ve got to put the pressure on the others,” wrote Merson.

“They are so different to last season because Declan Rice has taken them to another level.

“He’s up there with Rodri and that’s why Man City and Arsenal have great defences. They are so disciplined it’s unbelievable.”

Declan Rice seeming like a bargain for Arsenal

When a player moves for a huge sum of money, as was the case with Rice to Arsenal, it doesn’t take long for critics to come out of the woodwork if said player doesn’t do amazingly from the off.

While some players have needed a bit of time to get up to speed, Rice hit the ground running from the off and is only getting better and better for the Gunners.

Indeed, it’s getting to the point where Arsenal will probably feel they’ve got a bargain in Rice – at all of £105million – considering how good he has been.

Rice has been a revelation for the Gunners and it’s especially great to see him adding goals to his game now he has been allowed to push further up the pitch.