For several years after his departure, Arsenal were continually told - even in the most primitive ages of modern media - that they needed to sign a true successor to Patrick Vieira. The long-serving midfielder and captain chose to leave only a year after the Gunners' famous 'Invincibles' season, taking himself to a Juventus side on the brink of the 'Calciopoli' scandal which would lead to their relegation.
The problem with that tale is twofold. Firstly, it actually ignores that Arsenal's prince waiting to take the midfield throne, a then-teenage Cesc Fabregas, took Vieira for a walk when the north Londoners knocked Juve out of the Champions League on their way to the 2006 final. Fabregas is a different sort of player, so that part is forgivable. But how are you meant to go about replacing one of the finest players of their generation, let alone when navigating an era of stadium debt?
Arsenal had to wait nearly two decades to acquire a worthy heir to Vieira's throne, and that came at the cost of £105 million. Step forward, Declan Rice, the captain of neighbours West Ham and a core member of the England setup. To his testament, there was little baulking at the price tag he came with, and Rice has looked worth every penny since swapping east London for north.
Rice has hit the checkpoints to become a person who will be in the lives of football fans one way or another for a generation. The legacy he's writing for himself is approaching the stuff of legend.
