Declan Rice has been widely praised for his outstanding displays for Arsenal in their Champions League clashes with Real Madrid this week. However, Rio Ferdinand believes things could’ve turned out very differently — with Rice potentially wearing Manchester United red instead.
According to Ferdinand, if United had matched Arsenal’s offer, Rice would have opted for a move to Old Trafford rather than joining the Gunners. The former West Ham midfielder was a standout performer as Arsenal eliminated the reigning European champions, securing a 2-1 win at the Santiago Bernabeu after a dominant 3-0 victory in the first leg.
The highly anticipated showdown between Rice and his England teammate Jude Bellingham saw Rice come out on top, further validating the Gunners’ £105 million investment in him last summer.
At the time, both Chelsea and United were vying for his signature. Ferdinand claims United missed a major opportunity by not matching Arsenal’s bid. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he said: “The first leg killed it off, but Arsenal were brilliant across both matches. This was Rice’s moment to show he belongs among the elite — and he did it against one of the top teams in the world.
“And we, as United, didn’t act. I truly believe that if we’d put the same offer on the table as Arsenal, he would’ve chosen us.”
As Arsenal prepares to face Ipswich Town in the Premier League on Sunday, manager Mikel Arteta had high praise for his midfield powerhouse.
“He’s constantly developing,” Arteta said. “Performances like the ones he’s had against Real Madrid take him to another level. That’s exactly why we brought him in. We want him to continue stepping up and making a difference — because he has that ability.
“We’ve been pushing him, and it’s not easy to perform like this at this stage. But he’s done it back-to-back.”
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