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Damien O’Donohoe, the chief executive of the Caribbean Premier League, believes there is space in the cricket calendar for the CPL and the new English T20 league, set to start in 2020, to co-exist and eventually benefit each other

Andrew McGlashan28-Oct-20161:39

‘CPL second only to the IPL’ – O’Donohoe

Damien O’Donohoe, the chief executive of the Caribbean Premier League, believes there is space in the cricket calendar for the CPL and the new English T20 league, set to start in 2020, to co-exist and eventually benefit each other.The 2016 CPL was staged from June 29 to August 7, which is likely to be the timeframe the ECB will try to exploit with the new T20 league that is causing much angst in the county game. The ECB is keen to make use of the school summer holidays, which run from mid-July through August, to try to attract a new, younger fan base to the sport.But the fact that English cricket is only now looking to revamp its domestic T20 competition – and is still three years from having the new venture ready to launch – means other T20 leagues are well ahead in their development. While the ECB has managed to find a way of accommodating the IPL, allowing players who wish to compete to take part in the tournament, and in some cases actively encouraging participation in the Big Bash League, which has no impact on the English summer, the direct competition from the CPL could cause problems.There may be an indication of the impact during the 2017 English season when the NatWest Blast returns to a block in later summer after three seasons of being played largely on Friday nights from mid-May until late July. In those three years, the CPL has forged its position as an attractive proposition for overseas cricketers. Staging the NatWest Blast at the same time might mean missing out on the West Indian T20 stars – some of the more attractive signings in the game – who will already be in action for their CPL teams.”It probably will be a similar window but we work quite closely with the ECB and at the end of the day there will be room for both leagues,” O’Donohoe told ESPNcricinfo. “The ECB has their own challenges, and I really wouldn’t envy their job, but they are real professionals who will make it a success. What we’d love in time is that we get the English stars in the CPL and they get some of ours.”But there is no denying that English cricket is playing catch-up with the format of the game they launched in 2003. “They have much bigger challenges in terms of the politics of the game than anybody else,” O’Donohoe said. “Of course, they created this form so they should be leaders in this space, but they are not. But they have huge plans…so there will be great things to come.”Of more immediate interest to O’Donohoe is the continued growth of the CPL. He was speaking in London on Thursday when St Lucia Zouks became the last of the six sides to become a privately-owned franchise after its acquisition by Jignesh Pandya, the founder of the Rohan Group of companies, who currently serves as the Chairman of Global Sports Ventures and Royal Sports Club. Global Sports Ventures was recently announced as having signed a $70million deal with USACA.The CPL staged six matches in the USA during the 2016 season and its plans for expansion in the country are well documented. O’Donohoe hopes that “in the not too distant future” there will be two franchises based in the US. He is also determined, though, that the CPL, which he believes stands second to the IPL among the various T20 leagues, needs to continue to play to its own strengths.”When we speak to the guys at the Big Bash, which we do on a daily basis, they have a very different idea of what they are trying to do, trying to bring a whole new audience to the game. Some of their games get 80,000 people, which we could never do in the Caribbean, but from an international point of view we have 80 million TV viewers in India, are the first professional league to go into America and have our six franchises sold and hopefully in the not too distant future we can have two franchises in the US.”Our single-biggest issue with the CPL has always been time zones and when we play our games. We have a huge international audience but if we play games during the day it doesn’t fit with our product, we are a local product and can’t fit it just for an international audience. The great thing about the east coast would be the time zone. Los Angeles would be fantastic so would San Francisco and Silicon Valley. We would love to go there in time, but the east coast will be our focus initially. New York would be No. 1 on our list. But we have a lot of work to do.”

Leeds United were relegated from the Premier League on Sunday afternoon as they fell to a disappointing 4-1 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur, on a day when they simply had to win.

Players at Elland Road were unsurprisingly booed off on a shocking end to a dreadful campaign, with Sam Allardyce's appointment doing little to stem the run of terrible results and schoolboy defending, as the Yorkshire outfit shipped 11 goals in just four games under the experienced Englishman.

While it will be difficult for Leeds fans to pick out any positives from a nightmare day at Elland Road, the performance of Adam Forshaw was a promising one on what was likely to be his final appearance at the club.

How did Forshaw play against Tottenham Hotspur?

The 31-year-old, who is out of contract next month, has spent much of the campaign sidelined through injury but showed his quality on a day when many Leeds players simply failed to show up.

As per Sofascore, the Englishman would earn a solid 7/10 rating for his performance, which was the joint-best of any Leeds player to feature in the game, with Georginio Rutter also earning a 7/10 from the bench after contributing the assist for Jack Harrison's second half goal.

The £20k-per-week asset saw plenty of the ball on Sunday afternoon, registering 93 touches and completing 54/62 passes, which was a dramatic increase on his season average of 18.4 passes per game.

The former Middlesbrough man also contributed four key passes, which again is a significant increase on his season average of 0.7 key passes per game, and suggests that he was the chief creator on Sunday afternoon from midfield.

He could hardly be blamed for Leeds' defensive woes against an inspired Harry Kane, as he also contributed two tackles and one interception, which suggests that he was one of few players to actually do their job on the final day.

It was no surprise therefore that during BT Sport's coverage of the game, Gary McAllister described him as Leeds' "best player" and suggested that he was the only one who had "stood up" for the Yorkshire outfit in the first half.

While Leeds' multi-million signings showed little to no fight, Forshaw was one who put his all into the game, and it may just make the incoming manager consider whether he is worth a new short-term deal this summer, as he can leave Elland Road tonight with his head held high.

A round-up of the Ranji Trophy Group A matches that began on October 6, 2016

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Oct-2016Group ADefending champions Mumbai pulled ahead against Tamil Nadu on a 14-wicket day in Lahli. All 14 wickets went to the seamers, with debutants Tushar Deshpande and K Vignesh returning figures of 4 for 25 and 2 for 5 respectively.Having been sent in, TN crashed to 87 all out, with only B Aparajith and B Indrajith passing 15. Indrajith remained unbeaten on 28 off 79 balls.In the absence of Shardul Thakur, who had been called-up to the India Test squad to replace the injured Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Dhawal Kulkarni made the early running, taking out TN’s top three. Deshpande, assisted by Balwinder Sandhu, who took two wickets, then scythed through the middle and lower order.In reply, Mumbai lost their openers Akhil Herwadkar and Jay Bista early, and Vignesh hurt them further, but unbeaten twenties from Kaustubh Pawar and captain Aditya Tare trimmed the deficit to two runs at stumps. Their unbroken 32-run stand was the highest on the opening day.Opener Aditya Waghmode and No. 4 Deepak Hooda ensured Baroda took the honours on the first day against Gujarat in Jaipur. Having been sent in, Baroda had a solid base, courtesy a 117-run partnership for the first wicket between Waghmode and Kedar Devdhar.Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah ended the stand when he had Devdhar caught behind in the 35th over. Debutant Krunal Pandya managed 23 off 54 balls before Baroda regained control through Waghmode and Hooda.Waghmode was circumspect, scoring 103 off 217 balls, while Hooda was more fluent, scoring 76 off 98 balls, including 14 fours. Both were unbeaten at stumps.Opener Shivakant Shukla’s unbeaten 117 steered Railways to 257 for 5 against Punjab at the Palam ground in Delhi. Seamers Manpreet Gony and Siddarth Kaul made early inroads, and when Mahesh Rawat was dismissed by Yuvraj Singh for 35, Railways were 133 for 5.Shukla, though, combined with No. 7 Ashish Yadav to add an unbroken 124-run partnership to prop up Railways. Shukla hit 11 fours and two sixes, while Yadav six fours and one six. Punjab, missing Harbhajan Singh, used as many as eight bowlers, but failed to separate the pair.Harpreet Singh’s fourth first-class century and Devendra Bundela’s 48th first-class fifty underpinned Madhya Pradesh’s progress on the first day in Hyderabad. Uttar Pradesh, however, hit back by taking four wickets in the last nine overs before stumps. From 252 for 3, MP finished at 292 for 7 with Harpreet unbeaten on 112 off 152 balls.Wristspinners Piyush Chawla and Kuldeep Yadav shared four wickets between them for UP. It was fast bowler Ankit Rajpoot who provided the first breakthrough when he pinned Aditya Shrivastava lbw for a duck with the second ball of the match. MP received another blow when Mukul Raghav was forced to retire hurt on 31. He would come back to add just four runs to his tally.Rajat Patidar hung on for 42 before Kuldeep had him caught by Almas Shaukat. Bundela and Harpreet then steadied the innings, the latter stroking 15 fours and a six.

If it is in adversity that a player can most accurately be judged, Essex have unearthed another gem in Dan Lawrence

George Dobell24-Aug-2016
ScorecardDan Lawrence show all the qualities which have made him stand out as a young player•Getty ImagesIf it is in adversity that a player can most accurately be judged, Essex have unearthed another gem in Dan Lawrence.Watching from the other end as his side subsided to 68 for 5 – the follow-on not averted and promotion hopes receding – Lawrence contributed a serene, chanceless century against a strong seam attack on a wicket where few other batsmen have looked comfortable. It would have been an impressive effort from any player. From a 19-year-old, it was exceptional.There is more than a hint of Alastair Cook about Lawrence. It is not just his precocious achievements – Lawrence’s polished century against Surrey in just his second Championship game made him (aged 17 years and 290 days) Essex’s youngest centurion and the third youngest in the history of the Championship – but his ability to concentrate for long periods and complement his obvious flair with discipline and patience.There were some fine strokes in this innings; not least the flowing drive off Richard Jones to reach his third century of the campaign (no Essex batsman has made more) and the fourth of his career. But it was more his ability to defend and leave the moving ball that marked him out as a special talent. Like Cook, he oozes Test match temperament.He shared in two century stands – 125 for the sixth wicket and 130 for the seventh – turning a probable first innings deficit into an imposing lead. And he helped secure four batting bonus points that looked mighty unlikely in the morning.There will, as ever, be a temptation to mitigate this success with the disclaimer that it came against Division Two bowling. It is, to a degree, a fair point, too.But this has been a high quality game and this is a good Leicestershire attack. While Dieter Klein tired noticeably during the day – you might say he deKleined – he generated good pace in his early spells (he had 3 for 14 at one stage), has a quick bouncer and a dangerous, swinging full ball that accounted for Cook on the first evening and Nick Browne from the first delivery of the day.Jones generates movement at a good pace – it really is a mystery that he has not enjoyed more sustained success – while Ben Raine is the sort of nagging, disciplined seamer that captains love. Charlie Shreck, meanwhile, produced such a beautiful delivery to account for Ravi Bopara – the ball swung late, beat the outside edge and clipped the top of off stump – that there was a temptation to have a cigarette after it.Lawrence has shown an ability to read the situation that bodes well for his future, too. While at Cheltenham he reached his century from 162 balls, here he understood that the game was in the balance and he needed to see his side through a tough period. He took 144 balls to reach his 50, the ball moving in the air and off the pitch, and 226 to reach three figures as the sun quickened a slow surface and drained the attack.It was his captain, Ryan ten Doeschate, who produced the most fluent batting of the day. While all other have batsmen in this match have struggled to score at a rate of 50-runs per 100 balls, ten Doescahte made 86 from 83 deliveries. If he had a little fortune early on – in ducking a Shreck bouncer, he was fortunate that the ball struck the back of the bat and sped to the boundary – he put away the poor ball sweetly and ran swiftly between the wickets. He missed out on the century he deserved when he was drawn into pushing at one outside off stump and edged to the keeper.While James Foster was cautious initially – his first boundary came from his 59th ball and, until then, he had scored just 12 – he accelerated against a tired attack and the second new ball and left Leicestershire looking visibly frustrated and weary in the field.They are not out of this match, though. If the used surface deteriorates, as they hope, in the fourth innings, Essex could yet find themselves batting last with a tricky chase. But the extra overs bowled in the first innings may show in the legs of the Leicestershire bowlers in the second and the absence of a spinner is far from ideal.Meanwhile Essex announced that Jesse Ryder, their overseas player, has been released from the remainder of his contract and allowed to return to New Zealand without delay. While Ryder has contributed some outstanding innings in white-ball cricket this season, he suffered a calf injury that prevented him from playing four-day cricket in recent weeks.In truth, Ryder’s three-year spell with Essex has been at least as notable for his gentle swing bowling as his batting. Making use of the green surfaces that were prevalent in county cricket for a couple of years, he claimed 92 first-class wickets at an average of 24.71 for the club. With the bat he averaged 36.53. The improved pitches this season limited his effectiveness with the ball and, as a consequence, he took only one Championship wicket. It seems unlikely that he will return.Essex do have plans for further recruitment, though. As well as Varun Chopra, already secured from Warwickshire, the club has spoken to Mohammad Amir, with a view to him fulfilling the role of overseas player from late June next year. Rumours also persist that Adam Wheater may one day return from Hampshire. Foster, as he has shown in this game, remains a high-quality player but, now aged 36, he hopes to combine his playing career with his future in education next year.

Chelsea's transfer policy has shifted dramatically since the arrival of Todd Boehly, although the financial backing has remained. It seems that the American is keen to move the west London outfit away from Roman Abramovich's here-and-now approach, instead planning for the long term in order to forge a successful dynasty that can span many years.

Acquisitions like Olivier Giroud, Pedro and Thiago Silva, whilst successful in their own different ways, are expected to be few and far between given that, of the 16 new signings since last summer, only three are aged 28 or over.

However, it is fair to say that as the one-year anniversary of the takeover nears, this largely has been a failed venture. Three managers and a mid-table finish is far from the trajectory fans would have envisioned for this term.

That is not set to deter the hierarchy from continuing to pump funds into the club though, as this summer window promises to be yet another big one.

Already the rumours are swirling about who the Blues might welcome into Stamford Bridge, with one such report noting a potential move that would align with this new-look philosophy.

Who is Vitor Roque?

As per Mundo Deportivo, noting earlier in the week, Chelsea have leapfrogged Barcelona in the race for Brazilian wonderkid Vitor Roque, who boasts a supposedly sparkling future ahead of him.

The 18-year-old has enjoyed a fine year for Club Athletico Paranaense, recording 12 goal contributions in 20 league games. Remarkably, this is his third year in senior football, thus marking the teenager out as a truly special talent and worthy of the €35m (£30m) price tag claimed in the report.

An athletic striker with a burst of pace, yet boasting quick feet that can dazzle defences, it was not long before the Ronaldo Nazario comparisons inevitably came.

The 46-year-old enjoyed successful spells across plenty of Europe's elite, scoring for Inter Milan, AC Milan, Barcelona, Real Madrid and PSV Eindhoven. It is tough to pinpoint where the apex of a career plagued with injuries came, but it was his 54 goals in 57 games in Holland that truly made the rest of the continent take note, having come through at Cruzeiro just like Roque.

He would go on to terrorise defenders with his unparalleled pace and power, scoring 295 club goals, winning two Ballon d'Or's and playing a huge role in two World Cup successes with Brazil.

So, to have the man himself suggest that this young marksman "is going to fly so high," fuelled the comparisons further. Roque's father, Juvenal, even acknowledged such adulation by noting: "It's exciting to know that the best in the world is praising my son, and that he is following the path of O Fenomeno."

With Mauricio Pochettino soon to take over in the Chelsea dugout, his work in moulding Harry Kane into one of the world's finest forwards should be another reason for this teenage gem to consider the switch.

The Argentinian handed the England captain his breakthrough in the 2014/15 campaign where he would score 31 goals, continuing to nurture him into the striker who is now the second-highest scorer in Premier League history.

With the potential Roque boasts, there is no reason why he cannot follow suit under his tutelage. After all, former national team coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has promised: "He will become one of the greatest players we have ahead of us."

He arguably has no better chance of being just that than in west London under Pochettino.

England’s Under-19s received another harsh lesson from Sri Lanka as they were beaten by 108 runs in the first match of the Royal London One-Day Series at Wormsley

ECB Reporters Network10-Aug-2016
ScorecardCharith Asalanka had a vastly satisfying day•Getty ImagesEngland’s Under-19s received another harsh lesson from Sri Lanka as they were beaten by 108 runs in the first match of the Royal London One-Day Series at Wormsley.This was England’s first chance to bounce back from the defeat they suffered in the second four-day match against the Sri Lankans in Northampton last week, albeit with a slightly different team.Instead they were dismissed for 149 after restricting the tourists to 257 for 7, losing their last eight wickets for 53 – seven of them shared by Sri Lanka’s three spinners.England made four changes to the team who had lost in Northampton. Kent’s Hugh Bernard, Worcestershire’s Zen Malik and the Somerset pair of Ben Green and Dom Bess came into the team – Malik and Bess making their Under-19 debuts, among seven players who were winning their first one-day caps.Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat, but Bernard gave England the perfect start when he pegged back Dilan Jayalath’s middle stump with the third ball of the match.Green then broke a dangerous second wicket stand of 67 when he had Avishka Fernando well caught by a diving Ollie Pope.But Sri Lanka’s captain Charith Asalanka picked up where he had left off in Northampton, striking 70 from 96 balls with eight fours.The tourists seemed on course for an imposing total but were pegged back in the middle of their innings by Bess, an offspinning allrounder from Devon who had already had Asalanka dropped at long on before taking a sharp return catch to dismiss the Sri Lankan captain himself.Bess ended with impressive figures of 1 for 30 from his 10 overs, and Bernard then claimed his second wicket courtesy of a superb legside stumping by Pope standing up to the Kent seamer.Green also collected a second wicket and there was one for Yorkshire allrounder Ed Barnes, and England seemed to have restricted Sri Lanka to a manageable total.They suffered two early setbacks in their reply when the former Millfield School team-mates George Hankins and George Bartlett, now at Gloucestershire and Somerset respectively, were undone by wiry seamer Thilan Prasan.That left England relying on their captain Max Holden, who was joined by Malik in a promising partnership of 61 in 14 overs.But the loss of Holden was a hammer blow as he fell to the off-spin of his fellow captain Asalanka, well taken by Wanidu Hasaranga at short extra cover after making 40 from 69 balls.That set off a procession, as England struggled to cope with the pressure exerted by Sri Lanka’s spinners and their excited chatter in the field. Pope ran himself out, Malik chipped a catch to mid-wicket after making 32 from 60 balls, and when Dell gave a return catch to Damitha Silva, England had lost four for 10 to slip to 106 for 6.Green and Bess stemmed the flow slightly but Green’s dismissal triggered another burst of four wickets in six overs, with Aaron Beard left unbeaten on 17 from 15 balls – the third highest score of the innings. Silva ended with 3 for 28 from his 10 overs, Hasaranga had 2 for 28 from eight, and Asalanka 2 for 27 from 6.3.England must now win both the remaining matches to take the series, in Chelmsford on Saturday before a day-night match at the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence next Tuesday which will be televised live by Sky Sports.

Celtic are set to lose one of their talents this summer, with Tsoanelo Letsosa deciding not to agree a new deal with the club, according to the Daily Record (24/05, 4:31pm).

Who will Celtic sell this summer?

The 18-year-old has spent this season playing for the Scottish Premiership side's B-team in the Lowland League. He's been a first-team regular for that outfit, playing 32 times in the division and bagging himself three goals and five assists along the way. He also played for the side in Europe in their UEFA Youth League campaign, managing five appearances with one goal to his name.

Having come up through the ranks at the club – he began in the side's Under-17 and Under-18 teams before moving on to play with the B-team – Celtic may have hoped that he could come through and play in some matches for their first team in the future. However, with his contract expiring at the end of the season, it seems he has no intention to stay.

That's because the Daily Record is reporting that despite being offered fresh terms, he has opted against putting pen to paper and is instead looking for a move over to England. However, the only saving grace for the Scottish side is that if he does move on to another side, the club are likely to be given compensation due to his age, which is thought to be to the tune of a six-figure sum.

Who is Tsoanelo Letsosa?

The youngster has yet to really have a taste of first-team football at the top level, so it is obviously unclear just how well he would do if given the chance in perhaps the EFL or at a higher level than he has featured so far.

However, the signs are promising for any team that does pick him up this summer. That's because coach Stephen McManus stated that he and the rest of that squad are "terrific" and that they each have a "bright future" in the game. It's high praise from the former player and suggests that he may well have the ability to go on and feature somewhere else to some success.

In addition, he's also been capped by the Scotland national team at Under-16 level – an honour which wouldn't be given to a player unless their coaches saw talent in his boots.

Therefore, Letsosa could be a good free-agent pickup for a team in England this summer – although it is unclear as of yet where he will end up.

Mitchell Johnson is set to play BBL cricket for the first time after signing with the Perth Scorchers for the 2016-17 season

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Aug-2016Mitchell Johnson is set to play BBL cricket for the first time after signing with the Perth Scorchers for the 2016-17 season. Johnson, 34, announced his retirement from international cricket during last summer and has only played in the IPL since then, but the lure of staying involved via the BBL was appealing.”I was never going anywhere else and always wanted to stay here and be part of the community,” Johnson said. “To be able to play for the Perth Scorchers, where I live and where I’m based, is perfect for me.”It’s exciting to be able to play Twenty20 cricket. A lot of the boys have told me about the Big Bash and how good it’s become, not only from a spectators’ point of view but also from a player’s point of view. It’s really good to play and it’s only getting bigger and bigger.”Johnson’s signing comes after the Scorchers lost a key drawcard with spinner Brad Hogg defecting to the Melbourne Renegades. Johnson said he would enjoy working with the Scorchers’ talented group of young fast bowlers, including fellow left-armers Joel Paris and Jason Behrendorff.”I’ll hopefully be able to guide these young guys in the right direction,” Johnson said. “I want be a mentor and bowl alongside these guys. I want to be involved in the coaching side of things which has become a bit more of a focus for me. I also want to enjoy it and have some fun.”

Rangers have made a “very strong” offer to sign Los Angeles star Jose Cifuentes as journalist Stefano Navas shares news on Twitter.

What’s the latest Rangers transfer news?

The Scottish Premiership side have missed out on silverware this campaign and have largely been overshadowed by Old Firm rivals Celtic, making preparation for next season absolutely imperative.

Rangers are also set to lose a number of both first team and fringe players in the coming weeks, with eight Ibrox stars about to leave the club for free at the end of this month.

The Gers and manager Michael Beale, as a result, are thought to be making moves behind-the-scenes and reports suggest that they hold a serious interest in Cifuentes.

As well as the Ecuador international, Rangers are chasing the likes of Jack Butland and Arsenal player Aaron Trusty – with the latter star shining on loan at Birmingham City over 2022/2023.

Going back to Cifuentes, overseas reporter Navas has shared his own update on Gers’ pursuit of the 24-year-old on Twitter, claiming they have indeed made a “very strong” offer to sign him.

He explained:

This comes amid reports that Rangers are closing in on a move for the South American ace, with Navas’ news that Cifuentes has already been in Glasgow surely coming as very promising.

Who is Jose Cifuentes?

The Ecuadorian could come as a very good acquisition for Beale if the club can get it done, especially considering he has played on the biggest stages in football.

Cifuentes, who featured at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, is exactly the type of player Rangers should be aspiring to sign if they’re to tussle dominance over the SPFL back from Celtic.

South American football expert Tim Vickery, speaking to talkSPORT (via Football Scotland), is certainly no stranger to the player’s obvious “quality”.

“He was the beating heart of that side and I think he’s a terrific midfielder. He’s strong, he’s got quality, he’s got a good engine – he’s one of the best all-round midfielders, potentially, that I’ve seen come out of South America in a while.”

Arsenal have "sounded out" West Ham star Declan Rice, but he is also a target for their Premier League title rivals, according to reports.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

The north Londoners are said to be prioritising central midfield additions this summer, even despite the signing of former Chelsea midfielder Jorginho in January, with Brighton's Moises Caicedo and Rice high on their agendas.

Manager Mikel Arteta is also believed to be chasing additions further forward, especially with Reiss Nelson out of contract this summer – leading to interest in the likes of Jonathan David (Lille) and Lois Openda (Lens) from Ligue 1.

Central defensive signings aren't ruled out, either, with star man William Saliba's injury problems arguably exposing some real frailties in the Arsenal back line this season.

The Gunners went four league games without a win in April – a run which may well have cost them their first domestic crown in 20 years if City can keep up their near-perfect winning run of late.

Sporting director Edu will have one eye on next campaign and how he can reinforce Arteta's squad for a potential fresh challenge in 2023/2024.

Going back to Rice, a report by Football Insider has shared some news on Arsenal's pursuit of the 24-year-old.

They've apparently "sounded out" the England international over a move to the Emirates Stadium and remain in pole position for his signing, but they could face competition from title rivals Man City.

Pep Guardiola is also reportedly targeting Rice, alongside fellow rivals Chelsea, but the midfielder's eagerness over potentially working with Arteta could work in their favour.

Rice is believed to be really impressed with the job he has done at Arsenal and is excited over the prospect of playing under him, not to mention he is keen to remain in London.

What could Rice bring to Arsenal?

As per WhoScored, the Irons star is a colossal presence for David Moyes, having registered more interceptions per 90 than any other West Ham player whilst standing out as their best-performer overall.

Rice has also been called "utterly sensational" by members of the press like 90min reporter Toby Cudworth, while Sky Sports pundit Alan Smith said this on him recently (via The Boot Room):

“Declan Rice, He’s like two players for West Ham. He’s unbelievable, world-class and he is starting to add goals to his game as well.”

He could inject both quality and enthusiasm into Arteta's midfield, yet he won't be cheap, with reports claiming he could cost up to £120 million.