Kevin Campbell has heaped praise on Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice.

Former Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell has been impressed with how Declan Rice has adjusted to life at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal paid a club-record fee of £105 million to sign Rice from West Ham United in the recent summer transfer window. 

The 24-year-old has hit the ground running for the Gunners. The £240,000-a-week star has slotted into Mikel Arteta’s system like a natural fit, and has brought an additional measure of steel to the middle of the park for Arsenal.

Rice proved his worth to the north London club against Manchester City last time out in the Premier League. As Arsenal secured a 1-0 win, Rice produced a brilliant display to ensure that the visitors weren’t able to sustain a period of attacking pressure at any point.

Arteta brought Rice to the club to help Arsenal go to the next level and compete with the top teams in the game. With his contribution to the triumph over Manchester City, the 45-cap England international showed that he is capable of rising to these big occasions. 

Campbell calls for Rice to play with partner

Campbell, who played for the club between 1988 and 1995, has been impressed by Rice so far and believes there is still more to come from the player.

Speaking on Football’s Twelfth Man Podcast, he called Rice “a bargain £105 million midfielder.”

“He has come in and looked like he has been at the club for ten years. He has come in and just adapted. Adapted to the fanbase.”

“The price tag to him is nothing. He just plays his game and his attributes just suit what we do.”

“We haven’t seen him enough besides Thomas Partey yet. But I think when those two play a number of games together they are just going to get better and better and better.”

Thomas Partey’s fitness issues have limited his game time so far this season. However, the prospect of Rice and the Ghanaian developing a genuine partnership in the middle of the park is certainly an exciting one, and surely something that Arteta is planning for. 

Together, the pair would make the Gunners an incredibly difficult side to play through. In matches where Arsenal are expected to come under pressure or have less of the ball, being able to deploy both Partey and Rice will be a huge boost for Arteta.

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