Declan Rice did his Arsenal transfer audition no harm, he chased shadows to start but showed his £100m class

AS JOB interviews go, this probably wasn’t what Declan Rice had envisaged.

The West Ham captain had thundered into Arsenal dangerman Gabriel Jesus right from the kick-off as he looked to make an immediate impression on the League leaders.

But for the next half hour that was close as he got to any of his opponents as the visitors strolled into a two-goal lead while barely breaking sweat.

Rice was doing his best to plug all the holes in his team but it was impossible for him to be in four places at once.

Arsenal were simply bypassing him in a blur of first time passes and when Martin Odegaard drifted in unchallenged to volley Arsenal’s second goal, he looked as though his head was going to explode.

Every time he managed to get on the ball he found himself looking in vain for options and team-mates showing for a pass.  

But there is a reason that Arsenal are leading the race to sign the 24-year-old England international in the summer.

And after chasing shadows for most of an embarrassingly one-sided first-half, Rice stepped up to show just why so many teams are so eager to buy him.

When Thomas Partey dawdled in possession deep inside his own half, Rice didn’t need to think twice before pouncing.

Arsenal claimed the ball had ricocheted off his arm before he played in Lucas Paqueta to win the 33rd minute penalty which kickstarted the West Ham fightback.

But VAR didn’t agree and when Said Benrahma sent Aaron Ramsdale the wrong way from the spot suddenly it was a completely different match.

And no-one impressed more than Rice as he constantly broke up play and made sure his team continued to play on the front foot.

But it was his ability to keep a cool head when all about him were losing theirs which would have most impressed Mikel Arteta. 

As the Arsenal boss watched his team implode for the second week, how he could have done with Rice’s calm authority in the middle or the pitch to calm their nerves.

Hammers boss David Moyes has regularly stated that it will take a British record transfer fee to prise his midfield diamond away this summer.

But Rice has already stated his ambition to play in the Champions League sooner rather than later.

And, let’s be honest,  that’s not going to happen at West Ham in a month of Super Sundays.

FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS

And though he still has another two years to run on his contract at the London Stadium, everyone at the club is already resigned to him leaving this summer.

The best West Ham fans can hope for is that Rice will help to keep them in the Premier League and maybe lift the Europa Conference League trophy before packing his bags for somewhere in the region of £100million.

And while he might have done his best to damage Arsenal’s title chances, they are still going to be playing in Europe’s top competition next season and look a perfect fit to take Rice’s career to the next level.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk