£240k-a-week star told he’s ‘the Kante of Arsenal’ for fixing key Arteta problem

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Dean Saunders has now compared Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice with former Chelsea icon N’Golo Kante.

Declan Rice has been a revelation for Arsenal this season. 

Since his arrival from West Ham United in the recent summer transfer window, the 25-year-old has been an imperious presence in the middle of the park for the Gunners. Many Arsenal fans believe that Rice is already living up to his club-record £105 million price tag.

His running power and physicality allow him to cover huge amounts of ground, meaning he can protect the entire defensive line behind him. He excels in breaking up opposition attacks and the driving his team back up the field with the ball at his feet. Rice has also shown that he has an eye for goal this season, and has chipped in with four Premier League strikes so far. Most recently, he found the back of the net with a spectacular long-range effort against his former club, West Ham.

Mikel Arteta hugely appreciates what the England star has brought with him to the Emirates Stadium, both on and off the pitch. The Spanish coach has even tipped Rice to be an Arsenal captain at some stage in the future. 

Declan Rice now likened to N’Golo Kante

Now, former Liverpool striker Dean Saunders has given his verdict on Rice. Speaking on talkSPORT, he said, “I think Declan Rice has stopped them being a sieve. Think of Kante. He is the Kante of Arsenal. Even if the football is not being played well because they are not linking. I still think they are hard to beat, they have two centre-halves who are hard to beat. The goalkeeping situation is still a bit of a problem, which might reveal itself as time goes on. They can win without playing well now, now Declan Rice is in the team.”

Across his spells with Leicester City and Chelsea, N’Golo Kante was perhaps the most effective defensive midfielder in the Premier League. Whilst the 53-cap France international never had the £240,000-a-week Arsenal man’s physical stature, he was still a devastating force in the middle of the park. 

His ball-winning ability and consistency made him a key figure for the Foxes as they won a shock Premier League title in 2016, and he was also vital for the Blues as they triumphed in the Champions League in 2021.

If Rice can bring similar success to the Emirates Stadium then he will soon be considered a club legend at Arsenal. It has already been suggested that Rice could lead Arsenal to a Champions League triumph, due to his propensity for producing heroic moments when his team need one.