Emmanuel Petit believes that Declan Rice should turn down a move to Chelsea in favour of a switch to Arsenal.
The 23-year-old has been linked with a move away from West Ham in the January transfer window but may have to wait until the summer to force a way out of the London Stadium. David Moyes' side currently sit in 17th in the Premier League, level on points with third bottom Everton and will need Rice to keep them in the division.
But Rice, who has been capped 39 times for England, has previously stated his ambitions to be competing in the Champions League and would like emulate his national teammates in the future. Rice has just under 18 months left on his current deal at the Hammers and could be allowed to leave at the end of the season for a cut-price.
Frank Lampard wanted to bring Rice back to Chelsea in 2020 but failed to convince the club's board that he was worth West Ham's £80million valuation. Rice has since risen in price due to form and age to over £100m, however, his contract situation may see his value now lowered ever so slightly. Nevertheless, ex-Arsenal midfielder Petit has urged Rice to move to the Emirates Stadium instead of a switch to the Blues.
He told Compare.Bet: "I know that Chelsea wants him, but if I were Declan Rice, I wouldn’t go to Chelsea, I would go to Arsenal. The two clubs are going in different directions and the way Arsenal is playing, he would be the perfect option for Arsenal."
Arsenal have had a settled midfield three all season with Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka and Martin Odegaard forming a pretty strong bond in the middle of the park. But with Partey and Xhaka both 29 and entering into the latter stages of their careers, the Gunners might look to the future and sign a player of Rice's ability.
Should Declan Rice leave West Ham in the summer? Let us know in the comments below!
Plus, the Gunners are competing on a number of fronts and need bodies to bolster the squad, especially with Albert Sambi Lokonga and Mohamed Elneny struggling for form, while Fabio Viera hasn't quite hit the ground running since his big-money move from Porto in the summer. Rice could be the ideal player to slot into that midfield and somehow improve it despite their impressive start to the campaign.
Meanwhile, Chelsea's situation is completely different and they look disjointed at times, with the midfield arguably the Blues' weakest area at the moment. Denis Zakaria has been the standout performer in midfield for Chelsea in recent weeks, with Matteo Kovacic, Jorginho and Conor Gallagher not at their best, while N'Golo Kante is currently out injured with a thigh problem.
Graham Potter's men sit in 10th position in the table and are as close to the relegation zone than the top four at this moment in time, with a lot of work to be down in west London. Chelsea return to action when they visit in-form Fulham at Craven Cottage on Thursday night.
