Alan Shearer names Premier League’s signing of the season who has ‘transformed’ new team

With Arsenal leading the Premier League title race ahead of Liverpool and Aston Villa, Alan Shearer will soon present the award for signing of the season.

Declan Rice has been named Premier League signing of the season by Alan Shearer.

During the summer transfer window, the midfield player ($105 million), a club record, joined Arsenal. Despite the high price tag, he has more than lived up to it, as evidenced by his vital goals in victories over Luton Town and Manchester United, which propelled the Gunners to the top of the division.

Last season, Mikel Arteta’s team came agonizingly close to taking home the championship, but ultimately ran out of steam. Shearer, however, is full of praise for Rice and thinks that his presence will allow Arsenal to go all the way this time.

“After their easy victory over Brighton earlier in the day, Arsenal maintained their top spot following Liverpool’s draw. Declan Rice has been the main contributor to the Gunners’ improvement from the previous season, when they kept City close until the very end,” he told BBC Sport.

“He has been the most notable addition of the summer, in my opinion, and it appears that the £100 million he cost to acquire from West Ham was a wise investment. Rice has improved the Gunners’ defense and added a bit of bite to their midfield, but his play off the ball is equally excellent.

“Arsenal haven’t been quite as exciting as they were last year going forward but, along with Liverpool, they have conceded the fewest goals in the Premier League so far and I think they will be delighted with the progress they have made.”

Arsenal defeated Brighton handily to reclaim the top spot after spending a week in second place. Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus both scored goals to give the Gunners the three points they needed to pass Liverpool.

Boss Arteta was happy with the outcome, since Arsenal had lost the match the previous year. And he thinks his team now has the self-assurance to launch a title challenge.

“I believe we played a fantastic game against a very good team. We really should have won the game, in my opinion. I have to give them credit since I am aware of how challenging it is and the damage Brighton does to teams. I’m really happy that we prevented that from happening,” he remarked.

“I’m not familiar with the handbrake. I hope not to send them playing with the handbrake, but you can’t run when ten players are defending in a 22-meter radius. You run off the pitch if you run.

If you play the right way, big gaps open up when you play a team that wants to play man-to-man and gives you space. After that, we can run, and at that point, our team becomes extremely dangerous.

“I believe that because they are spending an increasing amount of time together, the team is gelling. Declan and Kai have played more games with us now, as you mentioned. They pick up on some concepts much faster. Games are easy to adjust to because they get it.”