WITH financial regulations bringing a bit of sanity to the Premier League's transfer market, the days of paying in excess of £100million for a midfielder will not be returning any time soon.
Good. But you will not find an Arsenal supporter who believes a single penny of the £105m it cost to recruit Declan Rice from West Ham last summer was a wasted one.
Sure, it was an insane price, but Rice is a crazily effective footballer.
Ahead of Euro 2024 - and with the pair going head-to-head in the Champions League - a lot of English hopes are being pinned on Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham.
But, take Kane out of the equation, the player Gareth Southgate would surely consider the most important to his cause is Rice.
There is no individual in the middle of a Premier League park more dominant than Rice, no individual more influential in the vast area between the two penalty boxes. Once again here he was inspirational - a playbreaking six one minute, a play-making eight the next, a goalscoring nine the next.
And away from his unstinting physical contribution to Mikel Arteta's cause this season, he has brought an added dimension to this Arsenal unit's mindset.
Denne historien er fra May 05, 2024-utgaven av Daily Star Sunday.
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Denne historien er fra May 05, 2024-utgaven av Daily Star Sunday.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Porro's mindset clear
PEDRO PORRO has struggled to shake the shame that followed April's agonising North London derby defeat to Arsenal.
Ash bash!
MATTY ASHTON claimed his second hat-trick of the season as Warrington broke records.
Special Bru
JAN HAMMERS ST LEGER RIVALS
DEL BOY POSH GEEZER SHOCK
David mocked for Cockney 'clean-up'
Works put brakes on motorists
AVERAGE IS 23MPH
Space cadet singles love new date apps
LONELY IN TINDER TURN-OFF
BRITS IN DASH TO SEE KIM COUNTRY
DEMAND for holidays in North Korea is going through the roof.
TV'S BANG ON
Detectorists was right about buried treasure
Boffs: Wine is fine
GLASS WITH MEAL GOOD FOR HEART
Strictly Amy: So good to be back
DUO 'TELLY GOLD'