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Pundit Darren Bent made an astonishing claim when he said that Arsenal buying Declan Rice for a reported £105 million was a cheap purchase.
The England international has been sensational since arriving at the Emirates in the summer of 2024. He has been the standout player for the Gunners this season, contributing with six goals and seven assists in 39 appearances across competitions.
The midfielder was also announced as England captain for their upcoming friendly against Belgium on Tuesday (March 26) in Harry Kane's absence. This is certainly a big moment in Rice's career, who could easily be leading the north Londoners as well.
For now, Martin Odegaard is club captain but he could lose out to Rice in the coming years. Speaking about the defensive midfielder, Bent told talkSPORT (via The Boot Room):
"He is a captain without wearing the armband, that's for sure. We saw him at West Ham last season as their captain, he was brilliant.
"He has come to Arsenal, even though Odegaard is the captain, the way he has been performing this season.... This is going to sound bonkers, it's almost like £100 million is cheap."
The Gunners are gearing up for a crucial game against Manchester City on Sunday (March 31). Expect Rice to start in the middle of the park as Arsenal look to extend their lead over Manchester City in the title race.
Currently, Mikel Arteta's side are top of the league standings and a point ahead of the third-placed Cityzens.
Arsenal interested in signing Barcelona defender - Reports
Arsenal could reportedly complicate matters for Barcelona as the La Liga side look to sign Manchester City loanee Joao Cancelo on a permanent deal in the summer (via Barca Universal).
According to Mundo Deportivo, Mikel Arteta and Co. are looking to reinforce the full-back position. However, the Gunners already have the likes of Takehiro Tomiyasu and Jurrien Timber, who can play at left-back and right-back.
Additionally, Ben White, Jakub Kiwior, and Oleksandr Zinchenko would provide Cancelo competition for minutes. Amid these circumstances, a deal with Barcelona seems more reasonable for the Portuguese defender.
Since coming to Spain last summer, Cancelo has played 32 matches across competitions, bagging four goals and assists each. Therefore, he would most likely be guaranteed a starting spot for the Catalan side, making it a more attractive prospect for Cancelo.
