Interesting facts about Declan Rice as he completes his record transfer to Arsenal

Declan Rice is set to complete a move to Arsenal, for a British and club record £105 million fee as per Fabrizio Romano. The 24-year-old has been one of the most consistent midfielders in the Premier League and is worth every penny the Gunner have spent on him. He was the captain of West Ham United, and led them to a first major silverware since 1980 as they won the 2022- 23 Europa Conference League title.

Born and raised in Kingston upon Thames, Greater London, Declan Rice started his football career as a seven-year-old when he joined the Chelsea Academy in 2006. There, he met future England teammate Mason Mount, and both remain good friends to date.

As Declan Rice joins Arsenal as their record signing for £100 millions plus £5 million add-ons, below are some intriguing facts to know about the Englishman.

Interesting Facts about Declan Rice

West Ham United Trophy Parade

1. Declan Rice has paternal Irish grandparents. Hence, he represented the Republic of Ireland at youth level. Rice was adjudged as the 'Republic of Ireland U-17 Player of the Year' in 2016 and became the first player to represent the Republic of Ireland and England since Jack Reynolds in the 1890s.

2. In 2014, Rice was unexpectedly released by Chelsea. despite showcasing strong promise. He was devastated but never gave up.

3. He got accepted into West Ham academy thanks to the trainer, Trevor Bumstead and he went on to sign a pro contract later. He made his senior team debut on the final day of the 2016- 17 season as a 91st-minute substitute in a 2-1 win over Burnley.

4. Declan Rice won three caps for the Republic of Ireland before switching his allegiance to England. He debuted in March 2019 as a 63rd-minute substitute against the Czech Republic. Since then, he has established himself in midfield for the Three Lions where he played all seven games at the Euro 2020, powering England to the final where they lost to Italy on penalties.

5. In January 2019, he scored his first senior goal to earn West Ham United a 1-0 win over Arsenal in the Premier League. Rice was also named the official man of the match in what was West Ham's 50th game in the London Stadium.

Personal Accolades

At West Ham, Rice has won the below awards:

Young Player of the Season - 3 times

Europa Conference League Player of the Season - 1 time

Player of the season - 3 times

Europa League and the Europa Conference League Team of the Season - 1 time

Arsenal fans are optimistic that Declan Rice is going to become one of the best midfielders under Mikel Arteta’s tutelage as he is regarded to be a key ingredient to help end Arsenal’s 21-year wait for a Premier League title and a possible push for the Champions League glory.