Keir Starmer takes credit for Declan Rice joining Arsenal from West Ham United
Sir Keir Starmer has joked that he is to thank for Declan Rice joining Arsenal from West Ham last summer.
Rice departed London Stadium in a £100million-plus transfer, ending his eight-year association with the Hammers.
To the surprise of nobody from a West Ham persuasion, the England international has been a massive hit since arriving at Emirates Stadium.
Speaking to The Telegraph [1 May], Arsenal supporter Starmer shared a cringeworthy anecdote suggesting he should be credited for the deal going through.
“So, when we played away at West Ham last year and Declan was still a West Ham player I took my son,” he said.
“Mark Noble, Mr West Ham [now the club’s sporting director], took us down to meet Declan. And so my boy had his programme open ready for signing and obviously we put the contract [for Arsenal] in underneath!
“Declan signed it and thought he was signing the programme, but actually he was signing for Arsenal!”
Declan Rice starring for title-chasing Arsenal
Seeing Rice depart leave London Stadium last summer was a massive blow, but it was a deal that made sense from West Ham’s perspective.
The fan favourite was about to enter the final year of his contract and Arsenal offered an amount that was simply too much to turn down.
That money was put to good use, while Rice has thrived for title-chasing Arsenal and is a contender for Player of the Season.
As for Starmer’s anecdote, it is as cringey as they come from a politician trying to win over football-supporting voters.
As ever when a player leaves the club, many fans would have quietly been hoping Rice struggled across London at Arsenal.
Rice showed his class by not celebrating when netting in his side’s recent win at London Stadium, if that was ever even in doubt.
And given his role in last season’s Europa Conference League success, he deserves nothing but the best going forward.
In other West Ham news, the Irons may have lined up a replacement for one of their long-serving players.
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