Arsenal record-breaker told to ‘force a move’ as Gunners ‘disrespect’ him with big-money deal | OneFootball

Arsenal star Declan Rice has stunningly been urged to ‘force’ a move away from the Emirates, with a pundit saying he would ‘pin Mikel Arteta against a wall’ if he were the midfielder, after the Gunners sealed a mammoth agreement with Bukayo Saka.

Rice, 27, signed for Arsenal in a club-record £105million deal in the summer of 2023, and has established himself as one of the title-chasers’ most important players.

The midfielder has played a vital role in Arsenal’s rise under Arteta, and this season, he’s played all but one of their Premier League matches so far, notching four goals and six assists in the process.

But the Gunners have won just two of their last seven Premier League matches, with Manchester City closing the gap at the top to just five points.

But in a huge boost for the club, Arsenal confirmed this week that Bukayo Saka has signed a new long-term contract that sees him become the club’s highest-earner on wages over £300,000 a week.

Saka is equally as important to the London side, having scored five goals and provided five assists in the Premier League this term, and he looks set to play a key role for the Gunners for years to come.

But talkSPORT host Adrian Durham thinks Rice should LEAVE Arsenal this summer as a result of the Saka deal, as he believes it is an ‘insult’ to him…

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Rice has been ‘totally disrespected’

Rice currently earns a reported £240,000 per week with Arsenal – significantly less than what Saka is now on, and Durham thinks he deserves to be on equal terms to the winger.

“Rice gives everything every game,” Durham said on the talkSPORT Daily podcast.

“He’s always available, he covers every blade of grass, he never rolls around pretending to be injured, he’s the heartbeat he team, he’s more of a captain than [Martin] Odegaard will ever be. And yet, he’s just heard that news that Saka has become the highest paid player at the football club.

“He must be fuming. In one stroke, Declan Rice’s commitment and quality has been totally disrespected. So, I see giving Saka a fat, new contract as an insult to Declan Rice.

“Making [Saka] the highest paid player just absolutely sticks the knife in and if I was Declan Rice’s agent, I’m pinning Arteta up against the wall, asking what’s going on.

“I’m advising him to demand a new improved contract, and if Arsenal can’t deliver that, force a move out of the club in the summer and go somewhere that’s going to respect Declan Rice’s talents.

“Saka deserves it, I have no problem with Bukayo Saka at all. I’m an England fan, I love Bukayo Saka.

“I look at it and think to myself there are number of clubs across Europe who would happily take Declan Rice, they’d pay a lot of money for Declan Rice, they’d pay him a lot of money as well, he’s in a very strong position.

“If I was Declan Rice I would feel insulted that I’m not the highest paid player at the football club. I don’t think he’s that kind of guy but it’s got to niggle at him deep down.”

Latest Arsenal news: Alvarez transfer update / Bayern deliver blow

Meanwhile, Arsenal are one of the clubs showing interest in Atletico Madrid’s superstar forward Julian Alvarez, and are ready to go head-to-head with Chelsea for his signature, per reports.

Barcelona is the ex-Manchester City man’s preferred destination, but his jaw-dropping valuation makes a return to the Premier League most likely.

In other news, we have revealed that Arsenal are big admirers of Bayern Munich’s 17-year-old sensation Lennart Karl, but they are set to miss out on signing him.

We understand Bayern are set to agree a contract extension with the attacking midfielder, and