Jermain Defoe, a former striker and current academy coach at Tottenham Hotspur, believes that Arsenal transfer target Declan Rice will leave West Ham United this summer to advance his career.
Defoe stated that Rice aspires to emulate the career of Yaya Toure and possesses a “powerful” nature similar to the Manchester City legend. However, Defoe acknowledges that Rice still has a long way to go to reach Toure’s level.
With Arsenal likely to miss out on the Premier League title, the return of Champions League football next season could attract a player like Rice, who could be signed for £75 million.
Defoe has praised Rice’s personality, improvement, and power, but noted that he needs more goals and assists. He also remarked on Rice’s dynamic playing style and availability for every game, which is highly valued by managers.
Defoe anticipates that Rice will leave West Ham in the summer, and the fans will appreciate his desire to progress to the next level. At 24 years old, Rice has a significant opportunity to take his career further, as his potential is limitless.
Arsenal must consider players like Rice as they approach the summer transfer market. While players such as Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus have helped the team advance, they have yet to secure the coveted Premier League title. The upcoming generation of players must deliver that success.
Although Rice has not won any trophies or played in the Champions League, many may question whether he possesses the necessary qualities to succeed.
However, players like Andy Robertson, Virgil van Dijk, Gini Wijnaldum, Sadio Mane, and Mohamed Salah were not title winners or Champions League regulars when they first joined Liverpool, but they went on to achieve great success.
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