Rio Ferdinand and Ray Parlour both raise concerns over Arsenal’s £105m Declan Rice transfer

Rio Ferdinand and Ray Parlour have both named concerns over Declan Rice’s move to Arsenal.

Rice is on the verge of sealing a £105million move across the capital to link up with the Gunners after stellar performances for club and country over recent seasons. The Hammers captain has been linked with a move consistently over recent years, but it’s Arsenal who have won the race after relentless talks over the last few weeks.

The deal is expected to be announced in the coming days, and it’s a statement move for Arsenal, who want to go one better in the coming season’s Premier League title race.

But there are some risks with the deal that have been pointed out by pundit Ferdinand and Gunners legend Parlour. Speaking on his Vibe with Five podcast, Ferdinand has said: “Sometimes when you’re at a club, no disrespect, like West Ham – which is a fantastic club, close to my heart, where I came through – but I saw it when I went to Leeds.

“At the time we were trying to challenge and you go there and the group are a better standard of player and the environment is geared towards trying to win more than trying just to stay in the league. Not that West Ham are playing just to stay in the league now, it’s a bit different.

“Declan Rice will have loved it at West Ham, what a way to sign off. But the difference is that he’s going to be joining a team that are going to be challenging for the league. All the big trophies that they’re in for they’re going to be trying to win those things, it’s not about just competing.”

Ferdinand added: “And I think that’s going to be a difference. What we need to see now is, can he step up that level? Can he go up to that level and the expectation now which is different, the demands on him which are different. More is going to be asked of him maybe in an Arsenal shirt than what he was doing at West Ham. The problem is, if you’re a £100million player plus, or a British transfer record, like I was once, you don’t get time.

“You’re not afforded a little bit of a bedding-in period. You’re not afforded that, “Oh it’s a new team, new manager, new tactics, give him a bit of time. Listen, Declan will know as well, the knives and forks will be out waiting if things don’t go well immediately. So that’s a different pressure, he’s never had that pressure.”

Parlour also spoke about the deal on talkSPORT recently, and he is more concerned about the portion of the budget that will be spent on Rice.

“I look at the situation now and I think the owners know they’ve got the right manager and if Edu and the manger say we desperately need (Declan Rice) I think they’ll find the money,” Parlour said. “The problem is what else do they need? They need a striker, Jesus was injured last season, Eddie has done a brilliant job when he came in but you still need another striker, especially if you’re in the Champions League.

“Is this all they budget they’ve got? I don’t know. Xhaka will probably move on, other players might leave, whether Thomas Partey stays I don’t know. That’s the problem it’s going to take up maybe all of your budget if you get Declan Rice.”