Published: 02:00, 21 February 2026 | Updated: 02:00, 21 February 2026

Adversity has stalked Declan Rice for half his life.

At 14, he was released by Chelsea, a rejection he still uses as fuel. When West Ham then took a chance on him, initially he was still more spare part than golden boy, the last in his cohort of Under 18s to receive a scholarship.

When he finally broke into their first team and grew to become Hammers captain, the questions merely shifted. Now they were about his mobility and whether he could offer more than solely being an exceptional midfield anchor.

Each time doubts have surfaced, the 27-year-old has emphatically answered them, and this season he is the frontrunner to be named Premier League Player of the Year. But the next three months will pose a different examination altogether. With Arsenal flirting with faltering in the final straight towards a potential first Premier League title in 22 years, the spotlight narrows once more.

Can he step up and show just why he’s the most expensive English footballer in history? Can he steady a...