"He’s been your best player this year" - Rio Ferdinand makes bold claim about Arsenal summer signing

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand insists that Declan Rice has been Arsenal's best performer this season.

The Gunners secured the England international's services from West Ham United in the summer transfer window for a club-record fee of £105 million. The midfielder has so far impressed with his playing style at the north London outfit this season.

Rice's performances have earned the plaudits of Ferdinand, who has no doubt about who has been Arsenal's talisman this campaign.

Speaking on his podcast Vibe with Five, the 45-year-old said (as quoted by The Boot Room):

“Declan Rice, he’s been your best player this year, he’s been your best player."

Rice's importance in Mikel Arteta's side is evidenced by his stats. The English midfielder has featured in the starting XI in all 11 of the Gunners' Premier League encounters this season.

He has also started every UEFA Champions League encounter for the north London outfit this term. Rice has scored two goals and provided two assists in 17 appearances across all competitions.

The former West Ham skipper, despite being a defensive midfielder, has exceeded his xG (Expected goals) of 0.86 in the English top tier this term. He has maintained an impressive pass accuracy of 91.9%, indicating his abilities on the ball in the middle of the park (via FotMob).

It remains to be seen whether the England international can continue to maintain his form for the remainder of the 2023/24 campaign.

Mikel Arteta provides injury update on Arsenal star after Sevilla win

Arsenal locked horns with Sevilla in the UEFA Champions League at the Emirates last night (Wednesday, November 8). The Gunners secured a 2-0 victory over the Spanish side and are now four points ahead of second-placed PSV in the Group B table.

Bukayo Saka was the star of the show as he continuously attacked the final third, despite the rough treatment he received from the opposition's defenders. The England international set up Leandro Trossard's opener in the first half while he himself found the back of the net in the second.

He was substituted by Arteta late on in the match after an awkward landing that caused him discomfort. Saka was seen limping off the pitch, causing concern for Arsenal fans.

Arteta has now provided an update on his star winger. The Spanish manager said after the match (as per the club's official website):

"It was just a kick and I was told by the physios on the radio that he wasn’t happy to continue so he will have some discomfort but hopefully, I want to assume that he will be ok."

It remains to be seen if Saka will feature in Arsenal's league encounter against Burnley on Saturday, November 11.