Declan Rice couldn’t hide true feelings after losing Arsenal transfer record
Declan Rice quipped that he couldn't believe his blockbuster transfer to Arsenal was upstaged just days later by Moises Caicedo 's British record switch to Chelsea.
The Gunners shelled out a club record £105million fee for Rice earlier this summer as Mikel Arteta 's side bid to go one further than last year, where they finished as runners-up in the Premier League.
Arsenal's deal for Rice was just short of the British record which was, at the time, held by Enzo Fernandez and made him the most expensive signing of the summer transfer window - but only for a matter of days.
Chelsea's £115million deal for Caicedo eclipsed Rice's record fee; something which was put to the England star by Sky Sports host David Jones after Arsenal's 1-0 win at Crystal Palace on Monday night.
And Rice was good value as he joked: "I’ve only had it up on my wall for two weeks, I have had to take it down now!"
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He went on to outline how much he was already enjoying life as a Gunner, adding: "Do you know what, before the game tonight I was on the way [in] and I thought: 'Just go out there and have it tonight. Just go out there and try and put on a show'.
"Even in the warm-up, I just felt an energy. I wanted to got out there and perform; I was really up for it, to be honest with you. Only two games in, obviously there's so much talk about the price tag and me playing for Arsenal, I want to keep proving people wrong, proving I can play at the top and keep putting in top performances. I'll keep my feet on the ground, keep listening to everyone around me and keep pushing."
Join the debate! What have you made of Rice's start to life at Arsenal? Let us know here.
Rice was influential in Arsenal's 1-0 win over Crystal Palace (Getty Images)Rice excelled in Monday night's match at Selhurst Park at the base of a midfield diamond. He was also one of the standout players for the visitors after Takehiro Tomiyasu was sent off for a second yellow card in the 67th minute.
After speaking to Rice in the studio, Gary Neville tipped the England star to make the difference for Arsenal this season as they bid to overhaul Manchester City at the summit of the Premier League.
When he was asked if Rice's signing could have a big say on the title race, Neville responded: "I think he will. I have said he will be the impact signing.
"When he talks about coming to the game and saying ‘let’s have it’, and the quality of his interview, it’s not a football thing on the pitch, it’s a personality thing. When they hit that period of the season with ten games to go, he will be a big difference for them, he will not be phased by it. He has played in big games for England and World Cups.
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