Kieran Tripper claims Arsenal’s £120m target is better than Thomas Partey | Football

Rice is expected to move clubs this summer, although West Ham are understood to be holding out for a £120 million transfer fee for the 24-year-old.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has made Rice one of his top targets for the summer window but the Premier League leaders are expected to face competition from both Chelsea and Manchester United.

Trippier has played alongside Partey at Atletico Madrid and has also been Rice’s teammate with England’s national side and when asked to pick who is the better player, the Newcastle United right-back told FIVE: ‘Declan… Declan’s unbelievable.

‘I don’t know if you watched the game the other day when we [Newcastle] played West Ham, just his intelligence, the way he breaks up play, how he travels with it, powerful, unbelievable.

‘As defenders you appreciate like me you appreciate the likes of Michael Carrick or Declan, it makes your job easier, they’re just mopping everything up.

‘Don’t get me wrong, Casemiro, the trophies he’s won, the Champions Leagues, of course he’s a world-class player, but if you’re talking right now, Dec is incredible, he’s got the age as well.’

For more stories like this, check our sport page.