So, I’ll be interested if the same Gooners who were calling Declan Rice overrated when they thought he was heading to Man City are in fact secretly delighted he’s ended up at the North London?
Is the 24-year-old worth 105 million?
The really boring, yet honest answer, is that no player is.
If one exists, it should guarantee you a huge improvement in your chances of winning trophies.
Despite being a huge fan of the midfielder, I would still bet on Man City retaining their title – if my life depended on it.
I do think the ex-West Ham captain could quickly emerge as one of the few leaders we have in our dressing room, and from a marketing standpoint become one of the faces of modern Arsenal.
It’s funny how for years it was okay for our rivals to make these kinds of transfers, but the moment the Gunners finally catch up, now people want to talk about morality when it comes to ‘spending time’ in the sport.
A painting was sold the other week for 80 million!
Eddie Nketiah got paid 100k a week for 4 league goals last season!
It’s 90 pounds if you want the latest kit, and I just renewed my red membership which simply gives me the privilege of being put in a ballot for (some) tickets.
I’m paying the same annual cost while my chances of attending the Emirates reduce.
So no, I won’t lose too much sleep on how much it costs for my club to try and compete, ambition they have rarely shown in two decades.
Rice though has been sold with the famous English tax.
There are examples of English players being overpriced because they have been rated better than they are in reality, yet also moments where as soon as that talent lifts silverware, their price tag is forgotten.
Jack Grealish still hasn’t warranted a 100 million fee yet how many Man City fans cared after he participated in a historic treble?
I look at the top 10 most expensive English transfers in the Prem and see how many lived up to the hype.
For obvious reasons I’m not counting transactions from this summer, so a Mason Mount will have to wait a little bit longer before we judge his move to Manchester
How many thrived and how many were weighted down by their valuations?
You will see there are more misses than hits …
Jack Grealish (100 million)
Already alluded to this one.
He has become a fan favorite for how he partied in the Champions League success, fans find him relatable while he’s honest in his self-appraisal.
Admits to not playing well in Istanbul and needs a year for Pep Guardiola to mold him into his style.
12 months ago, when his team had to overcome a 2-0 deficit to be Champions, the 27-year-old remained on the bench, while Southgate only trusted him for a few seconds when chasing an equalizer at the World Cup.
Has improved since Qatar, but you sense Man City would have had the same success if Grealish wasn’t playing?
Harsh – but we are talking about 100 million?
That’s a lot for someone who hasn’t started regularly for his country.
Harry Maguire (80 million)
Despite being one of the richest clubs in the world Man City will refuse to take part in prolonged bidding wars if they don’t agree with the asking price.
They pulled out of the running for Harry Maguire once Leicester started quoting north of 70 million.
It shows at times a lack of planning from Man United that they would pay so much for a centre back, and then hire a manager whose tactics make Maguire’s style of defending not suited for the modern game.
At the King Power he did show ability on the ball and a willingness to step into midfield but has lost all confidence in Manchester with his boss not even pretending he sees a future with him.
Whether he’s an unfair scapegoat at times is a fair question, but that is what happens when one of the most famous sides in the universe pays such a sum.
Still young enough to revive his career, just not in Manchester.
Jadon Sancho (73 million)
I want to be sensitive here as the 23-year-old was sent away for a while to physically and mentally get better.
As Deli Ali’s interview proved this week, don’t assume just because a young man has a lot of money that they are any different to any human, they go through things, and mental health is an illness that does not discriminate.
Before coming back to Manchester, Sancho had made good career choices, leaving City’s academy for first team football in a new country.
Such was his form at Dortmund, United wanted him a couple of years before it became a reality.
The fact that a 73million player is nowhere near the international team and that’s not newsworthy, speaks volumes of how much 70 million now gets you.
The FA and United’s PR team I think have protected the youngster from the media and rightfully so.
Can Ten Hag get the best out of him? Or worth a return back to Germany?
Sterling (50 and 44 million)
When he transferred to the Etihad, he more than justified his fee. If anything underrated as he’s scored big goals for Man City and England.
Yet Pep Guardiola has a policy of not keeping any talent who doesn’t want to commit to him, and with the player not happy with the contract on offer to remain in Manchester the player returned home to London.
The 28-year-old scored 4 league goals for Chelsea at the same time his ex-employers lifted the treble.
As in the drama at the Bridge, Sterling has been able to get away with his loss of form.
Even though he can hide behind a change of managers and consistently being played out of position, he should have been one of the experienced professionals setting standards.
His lack of leadership is evident.
Needs a big season to be in the Euros.
Ben White (50 million)
Always had a big reputation on loan at Leeds, then at Brighton for his ability on the ball.
Was my Gunner of the season last year as he showed the footballing intelligence to adapt to a new version of a right back.
That wasn’t a demotion from his debut season as a centre back for Arsenal.
It was Arteta trusting him to time when to step into a back three, allowing Zinchenko to charge into midfield.
Tactically White is vital to what we do.
Versatility and laid-back demeanor probably count against him for England, but very much appreciated at the Emirates.
Stones (47.5 million)
Has long since repaid that fee with countless trophies, but now you feel is developing into the ball playing defender he was touted to be back at Everton.
Even when starting for Man City and England, there was a sense that Stones always had a mistake in him due to his content to play from the back.
The sport has now transitioned into a style that suits all of Stone’s strengths, and history might one day call him one of the first hybrid centre backs.
Pep Guardiola in many ways copied Arteta in asking his defender to alter position when in possession. Stones would often start at full back and step into midfield, a tactical switch that was crucial in City’s treble.
Will only get better and know an obvious leader.
Wan Bissaka (45 million)
Not a lot to say which kind of summarizes his time at Old Trafford.
Has most likely justified his price tag because defensively he doesn’t let his team down.
We are so used to full backs being part of the attacking element we forget their first job is to defend.
Just not the exciting right back who emerged at Palace. I wonder if his style is suited better in another era.
45 million and doesn’t come up in conversation when Southgate names his squads.
Kyle Walker (45 million)
Looks a bargain at that price now.
Nothing he can’t do. Can attack, defend, incredible recovery pace and the intelligence to play in a back three.
Said to be hurt though not to start in the Champions League Final.
At 32, maybe Pep Guardiola is preparing for life without his right back?
Walks into any other team so some club could be about to get a bargain.
Ben Chilwell (45 million)
Maybe harsh to judge as has suffered a couple of horrible injuries. When available through has been one of Chelsea’s most consistent players in a role that has become vital to most teams’ attack.
Can also play in a back three and time when to alter position.
At a time where there are a lot of changes at the Bridge, Chilwell is one of the few you would build the team around
Phillips (45 million)
Has been a disaster!
One of the few reasons I’ll defend the fee for Rice is that you can’t tell me he’s worth only two Kelvin Phillips?
Yes, he had a horrible injury but his manager on more than one occasion has highlighted his weight. How do you sell that to your children one day?
Yes, you won three medals, but your boss went out of his way to highlight how ineffective you were.
The fact that City tabled a bid for Rice should have Phillips worried.
The 25-year-old though, is not going to walk away from trophies and his wages after one year, which means he becomes another youngster trapped in a big club because very few will offer the salary he’s on.
Think Scott Sinclair, Jack Roswell, etc.
He will be loaned out a few times to get him off the wage bill till his deal expires.
Is Rice worth the fee when you consider who else is on this list?
Dan Smith
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Rice would be worth the fee if Arsenal plan to make him their main poster boy for their advertising campaign and their future captain, as long as he stays healthy and keeps working hard
He could also be groomed into Arteta’s successor
GAI, careful what you say about his marketing abilities!!
My God, if he sells enough shirts to become our new “shirt selling genius” there will be an outcry in the rank and file! 😂😂
Well, the shirt-selling genius did boost Arsenal’s advertising effort for several years 😁
I liked that aspect of him and his finishing skills
Dan you write the most provoking article, of the ten biggest money transfer in the premier league, surprisingly Ben White in my opinion comes the closest in terms of value for money.
But Brighton is the main culprit, who has benighted tremendously from these inflated cost players.
Thats simply not true, you are being highly subjective, Sterling (to city), Stones and Kyle walker are all arguably better value for money and White is probably 4.place it is possible he overtakes some of them in the future but IMO kyle walker is such a great buy and value for money..
Well said Krish
Oh yes Kyle Walker is one of the exception not too sure about Sterling
Dan, if DR helps us to the PL, or the CL, or fa cup success, or even retaining our top four status, he will be worth every penny of his transfer fee…as will the rest of the squad.
All fees and wages are ridiculous now, add English player tax on top and it’s a joke.
That being said there’s no avoiding paying these fees for proven quality so what can we do? Now that we have a good squad 1 decent signing a year should keep us up there in terms of squad quality as well as utilizing our academy players for revenue and/or 1st team duties.
The writer is suggesting we lack enough leaders stating we only have a “few”. I’m not so sure that’s the case anymore. Ramsdale, saliba, rice, zin, Martin, partey all have shown that, how many more do you need at a club? Probably overlooked one or two as well
If we had so many leaders mate we wouldn’t have lost the title in the manner we did ?
It was lack of leader, the reason why we have faltered, when the heat was on thus last two seasons. The players we have proved, they need a lot more heart than what they showed under pressure.
I don’t know that any of them are natural leaders, aside from rice who hasn’t played for us yet – I do think odegaard is growing nicely into the role, though.
What we need is players who exude calmness in the tough moments, and transmit that to their fellow players – nobody showed that for us last season, not when it really counted, anyway. I’m optimistic that rice will make a big difference, and odegaard will be more influential, but it remains to be seen.
At times l wonder if Man City were genuinely interested in Declan Rice or they just wanted to scupper our transfer plan. I mean why haven’t they gone for Caicedo who plays in a similar position and is available. Any way I could be wrong but I am just happy albeit paying alot that we managed to get this done and dusted.