Ian Wright has named the one Arsenal player who this season has been even more underrated that England international Ben White.
The Gunners finished just two points off the Manchester giants in the final standings as Arsenal enjoyed a record-breaking season in terms of Premier League wins accrued with David Raya also winning the Golden Glove award.
Given how young this Arsenal squad is, there is every right to believe that the north London side will be backing in the running for the title next season, especially if Mikel Arteta is able to make the right signings again this summer.
And Wright has now highlighted one player brought in by Arteta as being underrated this season.
Declan Rice praised for transforming Arsenal this season
Speaking to the Mirror, the Arsenal legend showered Declan Rice with praise for how the England international has transformed the north London side for the better since his club-record move in the summer.
The former West Ham captain enjoyed his most productive year in the Premier League in his debut year at Arsenal, and the Gunners can thank Rice for the impact the midfielder had on their push for the title this season.
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Wright said when asked who has impressed him this season: “Ben White has been magnificent, but I think the transformation in our team has been Declan Rice, he has to get a mention.
“I think the reason we were able to push Man City even further this season is because of him and his eight, nine out of ten performances every week. I think his levels, and his consistency is something that is underrated.
“He’s getting a lot of love now and it’s rightly so, but I still think it’s underrated. We are seeing it as normal and what the man’s doing at the moment for us is not normal, and fingers crossed, he can do it again next season.”
Rice can take Arteta and his squad even further next season
Even at £105m, it’s incredible to think how perfect a signing Rice has been for Arsenal after just one season, and the midfielder could take the Gunners even further next season.
Flourishing in the left-sided no. 8 role, more support in the midfield could unlock even more to Rice’s game that Arteta has done a fantastic job already in bringing out in the last nine months.
And next season, with the right moves in the summer, could see Rice jump another level, with the 25-year-old proving at Arsenal this year he truly is one of the best midfielders in the world.