David Moyes has acknowledged West Ham’s absence of Arsenal’s astute acquisition, Declan Rice, a £105 million star.
The England international has seamlessly integrated into Arsenal’s lineup, impressing Moyes, who considers Rice’s performances this season to be exceptional.
Many fans and pundits raised doubts about the transfer fee for a holding midfield player in the summer, although it wasn’t uncommon, given Chelsea’s signings of Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez for fees exceeding £100 million around the same time.
Despite the uncertain performances of Caicedo and Fernandez, Rice has silenced any skepticism by showcasing his prowess with five goals and six assists in the Premier League, further solidifying his outstanding all-around game.
David Moyes sings Declan Rice’s praises
Moyes expresses no surprise at the 25-year-old’s accomplishments, speaking to the press: “I think other players have been sold for close to his price and I don’t think they’ve touched Declan’s level of performance.
“The other thing is Declan is English, an England international, and he’s 25 now so he’s still got another six or seven years of his best years still to come.”
Moyes also revealed that he remains troubled by his team’s vulnerable defence. Freiburg secured a 1-0 first-leg advantage in their Europa League last-16 encounter midweek, extending West Ham’s streak of ten games without keeping a clean sheet.
The inconsistent performances of central defenders Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd have played a significant role, but according to Moyes, he attributes a considerable impact to Rice’s absence from the midfield anchor position.
“I think Declan covered up a lot of things, was able to tidy things up and help us. He’s probably the best player in England at the moment I would say. If you lose the best player in England out of your team you’re going to be affected one way or the other.”