Arsenal paid a club-record fee for Declan Rice during the summer transfer window.
The England international had an exceptional campaign with West Ham United last year and he helped them win the UEFA Europa Conference league.
Arsenal decided to pay £105 million for him at the start of the season and the England international has now opened up on his price tag.
Rice claims that the big money transfer did not feel normal and he was fully aware of the pressure that came along with the valuation. However, the 24-year-old has now managed to hit the ground running at his new club, and he has been a key player for Arsenal.
“It’s natural to think about that. You’re a human being bought for £105m, it doesn’t feel very normal. But that was because of what I’d done at West Ham, what they valued me at. When I signed for Arsenal, I just thought I just need to be Declan Rice, be myself, don’t be any different, everything will go smoothly.
“It’s £100m, it’s a lot of money, I could understand the pressure that comes with it. Not only the pressure you put on yourself but there’s an expectation of being bought for that much money we need to see performances straight away.
“I want to re-pay the club back straight away, they have invested a lot of money in me, I need to prove why I can go there and change things.”
The Gunners came close to winning the league title last season and it remains to be seen whether Rice can make a defining impact and help them go all the way this time around.
There is no doubt that the 24-year-old was one of the best midfielders in the league before he moved to Arsenal and the Gunners will be hoping that he can improve further and develop into a world-class player in the near future.
Rice certainly has the potential to justify the investment in the long run.