David Moyes has joked that Arsenal fans still owe him £50 million, insisting that Declan Rice was worth more than the £100 million the Gunners paid for him when he was West Ham manager.
Moyes and Rice will be reunited on Saturday when Arsenal travel to Goodison Park to face Moyes’ Everton. The Scotsman, who made Rice West Ham’s captain before his high-profile move to the Emirates, believes the midfielder has fully justified his £105 million price tag—and could have been valued even higher.
Rice spent six seasons at West Ham, where he succeeded Mark Noble as club captain, making 245 appearances and scoring 15 goals. His leadership and performances helped the Hammers secure their first major European trophy in over 40 years when they lifted the UEFA Europa Conference League in 2023.
His standout displays under Moyes made him one of the most sought-after midfielders in world football, with Arsenal winning the race for his signature in the summer of 2023. Since arriving at the Emirates, Rice has played a pivotal role in Mikel Arteta’s squad as they push to end their Premier League title drought.
While some questioned whether Rice was worth the hefty transfer fee, Moyes insists he always believed the England international should have been valued at £150 million.
“Sometimes you want to take credit, but Mikel has done a great job with him,” Moyes said ahead of Saturday’s match. “I used to get criticised when I said he should be £150 million. When I see Arsenal supporters, I tell them they still owe me £50 million because we only got £100 million for him. I think he’s proven exactly what we thought he was.”
Rice has also excelled on the international stage, earning 64 caps for England and playing a key role in their run to the Euro 2024 final. Moyes praised his professionalism and leadership, backing the 26-year-old as a future England captain.
“I always saw Declan as a future England captain,” Moyes added. “He was an unbelievable example to young players at West Ham because of how he conducted himself. Even when it became clear he was going to leave, he handled the situation impeccably. Everywhere he went, he was applauded because of his actions.”
