Many days have passed since Declan Rice was unveiled as a Gunner, but some still don’t understand how Arsenal could pull off such a move. One of these is BBC pundit Stephen Kelly, who is still perplexed as to why Rice did not pursue a move to Manchester City instead of joining Arsenal. But the simple fact is that if Declan Rice wanted to go to Manchester City, he would have easily snubbed Arsenal, but obviously he didn’t!
Before Arsenal made a £105 million all-inclusive winning deal for Declan Rice, Manchester City had firmly entered the race for his services, bidding £90 million (which was, of course, rejected). The Citizens had a chance to improve their offer to West Ham for their midfield engine, but I believe the player didn’t encourage them; it was them he wanted, thus Arsenal won the race as City didn’t opt to outbid them.
Anyway, now at Arsenal, the Englishman has already begun to adjust to his new teammates, but Stephen Kelly is still perplexed as to why he chose Arsenal, as he stated on the BBC Radio Five Live Football Daily Podcast: “It’s phenomenal, and you have to give Arsenal credit – for at one point it looked like City were in the race, and they still managed to say the right things to him to make him choose them if that’s what actually happened, even though I can never understand why a player at this stage of their career would choose Arsenal over City based on what you can achieve.”
Arteta’s Arsenal project has grown from strength to strength; from failing to play in Europe to qualifying for the Europa League, qualifying for Champions League football, and challenging for the league title, there’s clear progression at Arsenal, and Rice may have just seen that and felt joining Arteta’s band was his best move.
Some people know a good thing when they see it.
Sam P
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