West Ham captain Declan Rice appears to think very highly of Arsenal, if the midfielder's recent comments on the Gunners are anything to go by.
The England international has emerged as a shock transfer target for Mikel Arteta's men, with Arsenal reportedly plotting a £75million move for him in the summer. Rice's Hammers contract runs until 2024, meaning the summer presents the club's last real chance to cash in on the talented 24-year-old.
While David Moyes is unlikely to be thrilled by the idea of Arsenal trying to pry away his most prized asset, Rice may welcome the interest from the Premier League leaders. Earlier on this season, the Gunners made light work of the Hammers at Emirates Stadium with a 3-1 Boxing Day win.
It was a victory that highlighted all that was good about Arteta's side and clearly made an impression on Rice, who waxed lyrical about the Gunners after the game.
Pressed for comment on whether he thought Arsenal were title contenders, he replied: "100 per cent. I think they're a top team, you can see they're coached incredibly well. The attacking talent, it's a young squad, they could go the whole way for sure. They're a good team.
"We tried to stop them first half but it's really hard. In the end, we come up short and it's frustrating."
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Rice would certainly make Arsenal a force to be reckoned with, whether they end up winning the league this season or not.
It is widely believed that he is certain his future is away from east London, and he is rumoured to have rejected multiple contract offers that would have made him West Ham's highest earner.
This stems from his well-documented desire to play Champions League football and try his hand at the highest level. While away with England at the World Cup, Rice laid bare his feelings on his own aspirations.
"I’ve been playing consistently well for the club and I want to keep pushing," he explained. "Like you said, I see my friends here who are playing Champions League football, winning the trophies.
"You only get one career and at the end of your career, you want to look back at what you’ve won and the biggest games you’ve played in. I’m really ambitious and I really want to do that."
Arsenal sit top of the table, boasting an eight-point advantage over nearest rivals Manchester City, with many expecting Champions League to at long last return to the Emirates - something Rice is likely to take note of.
