Arsenal ace Declan Rice reacts to exit announcement as Chelsea aces respond
Arsenal’s star midfielder Declan Rice reacted to a huge exit announcement on social media with several Chelsea players also responding.
The 26-year-old will be looking ahead to the club’s Champions League match with PSG this coming Tuesday (29 April).
The Gunners have been underwhelming in the Premier League this season, drawing 13 games this season including a 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace in their most recent game on Wednesday night (23 April).
However, whilst their domestic form will need addressing next year if they are to stand any chance of ending their 21-year wait for a league title, the Gunners have been stellar in Europe.
Finishing third in the league stage of Europe’s premier competition, Arsenal utterly dismantled PSV Eindhoven 7-1 in the round of 16, before two stunning free-kicks from Rice propelled them to a 5-1 aggregate win over Real Madrid in the quarter-finals.
But it is news from another former England international that was the Gunners midfielder’s focus on 24 April as Leicester City captain Jamie Vardy announced his impending departure from the King Power.
Declan Rice reacts to Jamie Vardy announcement
Premier League and Leicester legend Vardy announced on Instagram that he would be leaving the Foxes at the conclusion of this season.
Rice liked the post, while Chelsea midfielder and former Foxes star Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall commented: “The best.”
Another former Blue Cesare Casadei, who spent time on loan at the King Power, also commented with both a crown and a heart emoji, whilst current Stamford Bridge star Nicolas Jackson reacted to the post by liking it.
Following the Foxes legendary Premier League title victory in 2016, many of Leicester’s squad used the opportunity to move on to more financially well-equipped sides.
N’Golo Kante, Riyad Mahrez, and Danny Drinkwater all moved on, but Vardy chose to remain with the club and despite having his release clause triggered by Arsenal, chose to reject a move to North London in favour of remaining in the Midlands [The Guardian].
Champions League gives Declan Rice chance to become Arsenal legend
Football Insider Verdict
Having won the Conference League with his boyhood club West Ham, this season’s Champions League offers Rice the chance to write his name into the history books in a way that Vardy did at Leicester.
Arsenal missed out on their only chance to win the competition in 2006, losing to Barcelona and whilst PSG will be incredibly tough opponents, beating Real Madrid will give the North London side genuine hopes of overcoming the Parisians.
Football is a team sport, but Rice has been without a doubt the best performing player in Arsenal’s squad in Europe this season.
Whilst his two free kicks in the first leg will be spoken about for years, the England international’s composed performance in the second leg in Madrid was vitally important for their progression to the semi-finals for the first time since 2009.
Winning the tournament remains a pipe-dream for now, but should they do it, Rice will go down as one of Arsenal’s greatest ever players.