Legendary Liverpool player Graeme Souness has sparked controversy by labeling Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice as “overhyped” and not worth the £100million the Gunners paid for him. Souness bases his opinion on the significant transfer fee, which he believes has contributed to Rice’s inflated reputation.

Rice’s transfer to Arsenal was finalized in July 2023 for a staggering £105million, including £5million in add-ons. The Gunners, led by Mikel Arteta, were determined to sign the Englishman, who had expressed his desire to leave West Ham. However, Souness is not convinced that Rice is worth the hefty price tag.

“When you talk about players who are overhyped, you also have to factor in transfer fees, and Declan Rice comes to mind,” Souness said on the Three Up Front podcast. “I don’t think he is worth the £100million that Arsenal paid for him.”

Souness’s comments come despite Rice’s impressive performances for both Arsenal and the England national team. The 24-year-old midfielder had a successful season, making 51 appearances and scoring seven goals in all competitions. He also featured in all of England’s Euro 2024 games, although he struggled in the final against Spain.

Rice’s transfer became the third most expensive in Premier League history, following Jack Grealish’s move to Manchester City and Enzo Fernandez’s signing to Chelsea in January 2023. Souness, however, believes that Manchester City overpaid for Grealish, citing him as another example of an “overhyped” player.

“I would also mention Jack Grealish in that conversation,” Souness added. “£100million is a lot of money, and for that, you’re looking at signing a world-class footballer. My definition of that is someone who gets into any team in the world. I think there are only a handful of world-class players in the Premier League at any one time.”