Jamie Carragher makes huge Declan Rice Man City claim that Arsenal fans will love

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has waxed lyrical about Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice, comparing him to the likes of Roy Keane, Alan Shearer and Harry Kane in terms of being a successful big-money signing. The Gunners forked out £105million to prise Rice away from West Ham United during the summer transfer window, a club-record fee.

Since then, the England international has hit the ground running, consistently delivering world-class displays whilst also scoring some crucial goals — including a 97th-minute winner against Luton Town on Tuesday night. Now, Reds hero Carragher has hailed the 24-year-old's impact in north London, arguing that he is a bargain despite costing Arsenal a nine-figure sum.

Writing in the Telegraph, he said: «Declan Rice, at £105 million, is a bargain for Arsenal. There are certain players who move for astronomical fees and are almost guaranteed to be successful.

»I feel the same way about Rice that I felt about Roy Keane when he joined Manchester United for a British record fee in 1993, and Alan Shearer when he joined Newcastle United in 1996. Harry Kane is another; he was a guarantee for Bayern Munich this summer.

«From the moment he joined Arsenal, you knew that Rice would be brilliant. He has been probably the most influential player in the Premier League this season and, every time I watch him, he reminds me of Keane. He has that same presence, and he has a passing ability that is incredibly underrated.»

Carragher even argued that he would rather have Rice in his team than Manchester City Rodri, who is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in Europe. The former England centre-back added: «There is no bigger compliment I can give to Rice than this: I would rather have him in my team than