Adrian Clarke has suggested that one Arsenal player has something unique that he once saw in club legend Ray Parlour.
A modern icon for the Gunners and a player Thierry Henry once noted as crucial to his adaptation at Arsenal having joined from Juventus, Parlour’s legacy lives on in north London after a 12-year stint with the Premier League giants.
Whilst not the flashiest of players, many still regard Parlour as an important part of the building of the modern Arsenal, with ‘the Romford Pele’ a fan favourite at the Emirates Stadium and a figure who still commands respect at the club.
And for former teammate Clarke, there’s now an Arsenal player who has a similar unique trait to Parlour.
Declan Rice compared to ‘really hard’ Arsenal legend Parlour
Speaking on Handbrake Off, the pundit compared Declan Rice’s ability to run with strength with the ball as something Parlour used to do at Arsenal, with the 25-year-old midfielder thriving in his new no. 8 role under Mikel Arteta this season.
Clarke said about Rice and his former Arsenal teammate Parlour: “I love him in this role. If you’ve got something that can do what he can do on the weekend, why would you restrict them to sitting in front of the back-four?
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“He’s really hard to stop, he’s a very different player to Ray Parlour, who was a really hard player, but when Parlour got into a gallop, he was so hard to stop and to slow him down, and Declan’s got that, and he’s probably even quicker.
“He’s a monster of a player, and he should only get better with the football intelligence and the knowledge he picks up. He’s going to play in the Euros and he might come out of that with more experience, it’s exciting times.”
Rice is already on-course to become an Arsenal legend
With the likes of Joe Cole already comparing Rice to Manchester United legend Roy Keane, it’s no real wonder why the England international has now been likened to one of Arsenal’s favourite sons.
The summer signing from West Ham has been a revelation for Arteta this season, with Rice showing that his future belongs in the no. 8 role having enjoyed his most productive year yet in the Premier League.
And if Rice can continue to develop playing in this position, there’s every real chance that the 25-year-old can become a club legend at Arsenal, with the midfielder seemingly loving life in north London.