Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has openly acknowledged that his most significant hurdle thus far has been meeting the expectations associated with his £105 million price tag. The English international completed a high-profile transfer from West Ham to Arsenal during the summer, setting a new club record fee in the process.

Given the substantial investment, there were undoubtedly concerns regarding the potential return on such a sizable expenditure, particularly considering the underwhelming performances of previous record signing Nicolas Pepe. However, Rice has proven himself to be worth every penny, showcasing his quality both on and off the ball, as well as his leadership abilities.

Impressive displays against formidable opponents like Manchester City and Manchester United have already endeared Rice to the Arsenal faithful. Some supporters have even gone so far as to consider his acquisition from West Ham as a “bargain,” given the impact he has made thus far and the promising years ahead of him at the club.

During an interview with Sky Sports, Rice candidly discussed the challenges he has faced since joining Arsenal, with the weight of the substantial price tag being the most prominent among them. He acknowledged the pressure to live up to the expectations associated with the significant investment made by the club.

“Just mentally, as a player, dealing with that and knowing you have to go and perform, knowing you have to go out week in and week out and prove why the club’s spent so much money on you.”

The weight of that price tag certainly hasn’t shown so far, to the point where it is rarely used as a point against any performance so far. Rice believes that his own confidence has helped combat any doubts and pressures so far, with plenty more to come for him and the Gunners.

He continued: “Do you know what? For me, I’ve always been confident. I’ve always had the belief in my ability that I can go out and make that price worthwhile. To be honest, I also don’t think about it too much. I think that’s why so far I’ve got off to life at Arsenal so good.

“It’s just because I’ve not let anything else strеss me to be honest, I’ve just focused on my football, focused on what the manager’s wаnted of me. And also I’ve been really lucky with my teammates, the staff; everyone around here who’s made me feel really comfortable.”