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Jamie Carragher believes Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has been the Premier League's most influential player this season.
Rice moved to the Emirates from West Ham this summer for a whopping £105million but has quickly settled in north London to guide Mikel Arteta's men to the top of the table.
He has already scored three crucial late goals against Manchester United, Chelsea and Luton, with the latter netting a dramatic 4-3 win on Tuesday evening. Carragher has already produced a number of memorable moments in an Arsenal shirt and claims Rice has proved worth every penny. He feels he has the same qualities as former Manchester United captain Roy Keane.
“Declan Rice is a bargain for Arsenal at £105m,” Carragher wrote in his weekly column for The Telegraph.
'I think the same about Rice as I did 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.
Jamie Carragher believes Declan Rice is the most influential player in the Premier League
Carragher has compared Rice to former Manchester United captain Roy Keane (centre)
Carragher claims Arsenal's signing of Rice for £105million has proven to be a bargain
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'He has probably been the most influential player in the Premier League this season and every time I look at him he reminds me of Keane. He has that same look, and he has a passing ability that is incredibly underrated.”
In recent seasons, Manchester City's Rodri has been the benchmark when it comes to retaining midfielders in Europe.
The Spaniard was almost always present at City, which won the Treble last season and was the match winner in the Champions League final against Inter Milan. But Carragher has revealed he would prefer to play alongside Rice.
“There is no greater compliment I can give Rice than this: I would rather have him in my team than Rodri,” Carragher continued.
'The Manchester City midfielder is arguably the best player in the Treble-winning side, alongside Erling Haaland and Bernardo Silva, and he scored the winner in the Champions League final. He's a brilliant player, but I'd prefer Rice.'
Rice is only a matter of months into his Arsenal career but Carragher has tipped him to lead the side and become a club legend.
He has also backed the 24-year-old to transform the Gunners, as Virgil van Dijk took Liverpool to the next level when he moved to Anfield in 2018.
The Reds have won every major trophy since Van Dijk's arrival, with the Dutchman proving to be one of the club's biggest signings despite initial questions over his £75 million transfer fee.
Carragher has said he would rather have Rice in his team than Manchester City's Rodri
Carragher believes Rice can become as important to Arsenal as Virgil van Dijk has been to Liverpool
Carragher sees Rice in a similar light and insists he could be the difference-maker in Arsenal's quest for their first title since 2004.
Carragher added: 'As has always been the case with Steven Gerrard at Liverpool, it feels inevitable that Rice will one day captain Arsenal.
'I think in seven or eight years we will be talking about him as an Arsenal great and his £105m fee will look like a snipe. Ultimately, he could be to Arsenal what Virgil van Dijk has been to Liverpool. Van Dijk cost £75m but after all he achieved at Anfield, the transfer is rightly considered a bargain.
'With him in their team, Arsenal have a player who will become a club legend, and a man who can bring the Premier League title back to North London.'